Archived Abstracts
Establishing a Model to Investigate Mechanisms of Miltefosine on Naegleria Pathogenesis
Location
Memorial Ballroom, Hall Campus Center
Access Type
Campus Access Only
Entry Number
21
Start Date
4-8-2020 12:00 PM
End Date
4-8-2020 1:15 PM
Department
Biomedical Science
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is a free-living parasitic amoeba that causes Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAME) that results in death in 97% of cases after infection has taken place. PAME is a rapidly progressing disease of the Central Nervous System (CNS) characterized by destruction of brain tissue by amoebas and swelling of the cranial meninges. The CDC currently recommends the use of miltefosine in coordination with several other drugs to treat infection of N. fowleri. Miltefosine is a drug that treats fatal parasitic diseases, visceral and cutaneous leishmania. The exact mechanisms for how miltefosine targets these intruders have not been definitively identified. The multitude of proposed mechanisms could indicate that Miltefosine has multiple sites of molecular action. We will be using non pathogenic Naegleria lovaniensis, a close relative to N. fowleri, to create a model system to explore these mechanisms. Of these specifically, we will measure the calcium flux and apoptotic cell death shown to be induced in VL and CL parasites by miltefosine.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. David Freier
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Establishing a Model to Investigate Mechanisms of Miltefosine on Naegleria Pathogenesis
Memorial Ballroom, Hall Campus Center
Naegleria fowleri is a free-living parasitic amoeba that causes Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAME) that results in death in 97% of cases after infection has taken place. PAME is a rapidly progressing disease of the Central Nervous System (CNS) characterized by destruction of brain tissue by amoebas and swelling of the cranial meninges. The CDC currently recommends the use of miltefosine in coordination with several other drugs to treat infection of N. fowleri. Miltefosine is a drug that treats fatal parasitic diseases, visceral and cutaneous leishmania. The exact mechanisms for how miltefosine targets these intruders have not been definitively identified. The multitude of proposed mechanisms could indicate that Miltefosine has multiple sites of molecular action. We will be using non pathogenic Naegleria lovaniensis, a close relative to N. fowleri, to create a model system to explore these mechanisms. Of these specifically, we will measure the calcium flux and apoptotic cell death shown to be induced in VL and CL parasites by miltefosine.