Naegleria fowleri andN. lovaniensis: Differences in sensitivity to trimethoprim and other antifolates

Abstract

The growth ofNaegleria fowleri cultures in a BCS medium was not affected either by trimethoprim at 400 μg/ml or by aminopterine, 3,5-diaminopterine and methotrexate at 500 μg/ml.N. lovaniensis propagation in the same medium was inhibited with 10 μg/ml of trimethoprim, 50 μg/ml methotrexate and 100 μg/ml 3,5-diaminopteridine. Aminopterine was ineffective at a concentration of 500 μg/ml. The inhibitory effect of trimethoprim onN. lovaniensis cultures depended on the medium composition and could be neutralized by an addition of folic or tetrahydrofolic acids and a suspension of heat-killedEnterobacter aerogenes. Thymine, thymidine, hypoxantine and 2-amino-4-hydroxy-6-(tatrahydroxybutyl)-pteridine did not have an adverse effect. Trimethoprim activity inN. fowleri cultures could not be enhanced by the addition of Triton X-100 and Polymyxine B. Cryolyzate ofN. fowleri amoebae did not influence the trimethoprim inhibition ofN. lovaniensis cultures. Deviation in dihydrofolatereductase chemical structure or thymine dependency seems to be the probable explanation forN. fowleri antifolate resistance.