Morphological response of cultured cells to Naegleria amoeba cytopathogenic material

Naegleria amoebae contain cytopathogenic material (NACM). The morphological response of cultured cells to this material follows a number of characteristics in common with those resulting from infectious agents. The cytopathologic changes varied depending on the strain of the cultured cells. Among those from 17 different vertebrate sources, both primary and continuous cell lines, some were destroyed completely by dilutions of NACM up to 10(-8) while others appeared unaffected by NACM at any concentration. The response had no apparent relationship to species, organ source, or passage level of the cells. The reaction was typified by a long latent period (4-10 days) during which the number of cells in the culture increased up to 10-fold, followed abruptly by a short period (less than 24 h) during which all of the cells were destroyed. The latent period was prolonged when the culture conditions were adverse, or when the amount of NACM in the inoculum was minimal. A high multiplicity of NACM in the inoculum lysed the entire culture, while dilutions near the end-point caused generalized or only focal changes of rounded cytopathic cells. The cytopathic effect could be maintained in cultured cells by serial passage, such that the total activity greatly exceeded what could be attributed to the original inoculum. These findings are consistent with the concept that NACM has properties of an infectious agent and that its quantity is enhanced and spread through the culture by cell-to-cell contact and by cell division.