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Anti-amoebic properties of a Malaysian marine sponge Aaptos sp. on Acanthamoeba castellanii

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Abstract

Crude methanol extracts of a marine sponge, Aaptos aaptos, collected from three different localities namely Kapas, Perhentian and Redang Islands, Terengganu, Malaysia, were tested in vitro on a pathogenic Acanthamoeba castellanii (IMR isolate) to examine their anti-amoebic potential. The examination of anti-Acanthamoebic activity of the extracts was conducted in 24 well plates for 72 h at 30 °C. All extracts possessed anti-amoebic activity with their IC50 values ranging from 0.615 to 0.876 mg/mL. The effect of the methanol extracts on the surface morphology of A. castellanii was analysed under scanning electron microscopy. The ability of the extracts to disrupt the amoeba cell membrane was indicated by extensive cell’s blebbing, changes in the surface morphology, reduced in cell size and with cystic appearance of extract-treated Acanthamoeba. Number of acanthapodia and food cup was also reduced in this Acanthamoeba. Morphological criteria of apoptosis in Acanthamoeba following treatment with the sponge’s extracts was determined by acridine orange-propidium iodide staining and observed by fluorescence microscopy. By this technique, apoptotic and necrotic cells can be visualized and quantified. The genotoxic potential of the methanol extracts was performed by the alkaline comet assay. All methanol extracts used were significantly induced DNA damage compared to untreated Acanthamoeba by having high percentage of scores 1, 2, and 3 of the DNA damage. Results from cytotoxicity and genotoxicity studies carried out in the present study suggest that all methanol extracts of A. aaptos have anti-amoebic properties against A. castellanii.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation, Malaysia under Experimental Applied Research 01-02-12-0068-EA-10707 and Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (vote 59004).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

    M. A. Nakisah & H. Fatimah

  2. Institute of Oceanography, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

    M. A. Nakisah

  3. International Education Centre (INTEC), UiTM Kampus Seksyen 17, 40200, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

    M. Y. Ida Muryany

  4. Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 53200, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    R. Nor Fadilah

  5. Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

    M. R. Zalilawati & M. Habsah

  6. Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agrotechnology and Biotechnology, University Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kampus Gong Badak, 21300, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

    S. Khamsah

  7. Institute of Marine Biotechnology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

    M. Habsah

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  1. M. A. Nakisah
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Correspondence to M. Habsah.

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Nakisah, M.A., Ida Muryany, M.Y., Fatimah, H. et al. Anti-amoebic properties of a Malaysian marine sponge Aaptos sp. on Acanthamoeba castellanii . World J Microbiol Biotechnol 28, 1237–1244 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-011-0927-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-011-0927-8

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