An Optical and Chemiluminescence Assay for Assessing the Cytotoxicity of Balamuthia mandrillaris against Human Neurospheroids.

ABSTRACT: A spheroid is a cell aggregate in a three-dimensional context; thereby, it recapitulates the cellular architecture in human tissue. However, the utility of spheroids as an assay for host-parasite interactions remains unexplored. This study demonstrates the potential use of neurospheroids for assessing the cytotoxicity of the life-threatening pathogenic amoeba Balamuthia mandrillaris. The neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells formed a spheroid in a hanging drop of culture medium. Cellular damage caused by B. mandrillaris trophozoites on human neuronal spheroids was observed using microscopic imaging and ATP detection. B. mandrillaris trophozoites rapidly caused a decrease in ATP production in the spheroid, leading to loss of neurospheroid integrity. Moreover, 3D confocal microscopy imaging revealed interactions between the trophozoites and SH-SY5Y neuronal cells in the outer layer of the neurospheroid. In conclusion, the neurospheroid allows the assessment of host cell damage in a simple and quantitative manner.

SUBMITTER: Pengsart W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9312303 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature