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[Effect of splenectomy on development of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis]
Ho Joon Shin1, Kyung Il Im, Rim Soon Choe
1Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract:
To elucidate the effect of splenectomy on the development of experimental primary amoebic meningoencephalitis in mice, the death rate and survival time of mice infected intranasally with Naegleria fowleri trophozoites 5 x 10(4) cultivated in CGVS medium were compared according to the age when splenectomy was done, and post-operation until experimental infection. Immunodiffusion was undergone to detect the presence of serum antibody due to N. fowleri infection in mice. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was done to compare the protein fractions of mouse serum in each experimental groups. In experiment I, splenectomy was done 3 weeks and infection 4 weeks after birth, the death rate of control, sham operated and splenectomized group were 100 percent, 85 percent and 95 percent, and the mean survival time after infection 7.3 days, 7.5 days and 7.8 days, respectively. In experiment II, splenectomy was undergone 3 weeks and infection 6 weeks after birth, the death rate of control, sham operated and splenectomized group were 95 percent, 95 percent and 95 percent, and the mean survival time after infection 12.1 days, 11.5 days and 11.5 days, respectively. In experiment III, splenectomy was done 5 weeks and infection 6 weeks after birth, the death rate of control, sham operated and splenectomized group were 95 percent, 90 percent and 95 percent, and the mean survival time after infection 8.1 days, 8.3 days and 8.5 days, respectively. By Ouchterlony immunodiffusion, anti-N. fowleri antibody in the serum of mouse with primary amoebic meningoencephalitis was detected against a N. fowleri antigen, which was prepared by ultrasonication of N. fowleri trophozoites, each reacting two lines of precipitation. The patterns of serum fractions by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were different between control and sham operated groups from splenectomized group in fraction II, III and V, the sera of which were collected after N. fowleri infection. This results may be summarized as that splenectomy has no effect on the development of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis in mice.
Insights
Splenectomy does not significantly alter the outcome of experimental primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAME) in mice. Studies comparing splenectomized and control groups showed no substantial differences in mortality rates or survival times following Naegleria fowleri infection.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAME) is a rare but often fatal infection caused by Naegleria fowleri.
- The spleen plays a role in immune responses, and its removal (splenectomy) could potentially impact the course of infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of splenectomy on the development of experimental PAME in a mouse model.
- To assess the impact of splenectomy timing on mortality and survival in mice infected with Naegleria fowleri.
Main Methods:
- Mice underwent splenectomy at different ages (3 or 5 weeks) before intranasal inoculation with Naegleria fowleri trophozoites.
- Mortality rates and mean survival times were recorded and compared between splenectomized, sham-operated, and control groups.
- Serum antibody presence (immunodiffusion) and protein fractions (polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) were analyzed post-infection.
Main Results:
- Splenectomy did not significantly alter the high mortality rates (95-100%) observed across all experimental groups and time points.
- Mean survival times post-infection showed minimal variation between splenectomized, sham-operated, and control mice.
- While antibody responses and serum protein profiles differed, these changes did not correlate with a protective effect from splenectomy.
Conclusions:
- Splenectomy has no discernible effect on the development or outcome of experimental primary amoebic meningoencephalitis in mice.
- The spleen is not a critical factor in controlling Naegleria fowleri infection in this specific murine model.