Polyaniline-Conjugated Boron Nitride Nanoparticles Exhibiting Potent Effects against Pathogenic Brain-Eating Amoebae.
Sumayah AbdelnasirMohammad Ridwane MungrooSyed ShahabuddinRuqaiyyah SiddiquiNaveed Ahmed KhanAyaz AnwarPublished in: ACS chemical neuroscience (2021)
Free-living amoebae include Acanthamoeba castellanii and Naegleria fowleri that are opportunistic protozoa responsible for life-threatening central nervous system infections with mortality rates over 90%. The rising number of cases and high mortality rates are indicative of the critical unmet need for the development of efficient drugs in order to avert future deaths. In this study, we assess the anti-amoebic capacity of a conducting polymer nanocomposite comprising polyaniline (PANI) and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) against A. castellanii and N. fowleri. We observed significant amoebicidal and cysticidal effects using 100 μg/mL PANI/hBN (P < 0.05). Further, the nanocomposite demonstrated negligible cytotoxicity toward HaCaT and primary human corneal epithelial cells (pHCECs). In evaluating the mode of inhibition of A. castellanii due to treatment with PANI/hBN, increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured and scanning microscopy visualized the formation of pores in the amoebae. Overall, this study is suggestive of the potential of the PANI/hBN nanocomposite as a promising therapy for amoeba infections.
Keyphrases
- reduced graphene oxide
- reactive oxygen species
- quantum dots
- solid phase extraction
- carbon nanotubes
- endothelial cells
- gold nanoparticles
- high resolution
- visible light
- cardiovascular events
- optical coherence tomography
- high throughput
- cell death
- risk factors
- physical activity
- weight loss
- cardiovascular disease
- dna damage
- white matter
- brain injury
- coronary artery disease
- multiple sclerosis
- photodynamic therapy
- human health
- single cell
- anti inflammatory
- mass spectrometry
- smoking cessation
- simultaneous determination
- replacement therapy
- subarachnoid hemorrhage
- cerebral ischemia