ELECTROPORATION AS A TREATMENT FOR CORNEAL EPITHELIAL CELLS INFECTED WITH Acanthamoeba polyphaga

• Grant number: 25/10201-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2026
• End date: January 31, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Mauro Silveira de Queiroz Campos
• Grantee: Mauro Silveira de Queiroz Campos
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: São Paulo
• Associated researchers: Denise de Freitas

Abstract

Acanthamoeba is an amphizoic protozoan, capable of living independently or parasitically. Present in a variety of environments, it leads to the emergence of opportunistic infections, notably Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) which, although a rare pathology, has a high morbidity rate. In the life cycle of Acanthamoeba, there are two morphological stages: trophozoites, which represent the active form and produce human infection, and cysts, which are the form of chronification unresponsive to treatment, characterized by the formation of a dense double wall, resisting in the environment for several years, preserving its pathogenicity. The development of AK is associated with ocular trauma and, above all, the inappropriate use of contact lenses, which facilitates the invasion of the parasite. Treatment involves topical administration of Propamidine Isethionate (Brolene®) and Polyhexamethyl Biguanide eye drops, which are highly toxic. Given the growing incidence of AC cases in recent years and the prolonged duration of current therapies, which last from six months to a year, we are studying the possibility of using electroceutical treatment (electroporation) as an alternative, based on previous studies. This approach seeks to overcome the difficulty of eye drops in penetrating the cyst's double wall, since electroporation temporarily destabilizes the membrane/wall of trophozoites and cysts. This study aims to assess whether the combination of electroporation with conventional therapies can shorten and improve treatment without causing significant damage to corneal epithelial cells and reduce the need for corneal transplants in patients affected by the disease. (AU)