Development of an Ex Vivo Porcine Eye Model for Exploring the Pathogenicity of Acanthamoeba

, a widely distributed free-living amoeba found in various environments, is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for causing keratitis, a condition that may lead to blindness. However, identifying the pathogenicity of is challenging due to its complex life cycle, ability to adapt to different environments, variable virulence factors, and intricate interactions with the host immune system. Additionally, the development of an effective model for studying pathogenicity is limited, hindering a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying its virulence and host interactions. The aim of this study was to develop an ex vivo model for infection using porcine eyeballs and to evaluate the pathogenicity of the isolates. Based on slit lamp and biopsy analysis, the developed ex vivo model is capable of successfully infecting within 3 days. Histopathological staining revealed that clinical isolates of exhibited greater corneal stroma destruction and invasion in this model than environmental isolates. Our results highlight the importance of an ex vivo porcine eye model in elucidating the pathogenesis of infection and its potential implications for understanding and managing -related ocular diseases.