Polyhexamethylene Biguanide 로 처리한 아칸토아메바 포낭의 투과전자현미경적 미세구조변화

To analyze cysticidal mechanism of polyhexamethylene biguanide(PHMB) through morphological evaluation, cyst form of A. lugdunensis was treated with PHMB(0.02%) and ultrastructural changes of cyst were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The amoebic cysts(A. lugdunensis)(100 μl, 1×106 /ml)were treated with 0.02% PHMB(100 μl) for 2, 4, 8 hours. The cyst suspension treated with PHMB was observed under transmission elec-tron microscope. Compared with the normal control cysts, the most remark-able change on cysts treated with PHMB was shrinkage of intracystic amoe-bae. The shrinkage of the amoebae resulted in the separation of the plasma membrane of intracystic amoeba from outer wall. The shape of lipid droplets changed from round form to irregular form. The cytoplasm was aggregated and the cell organelles were deformed in severely damaged cysts. The number of mitochondrial cristae also decreased. Lipid droplets and cyto- plasmic materials leaked through the damaged plasma membrane. From this study, it was revealed that PHMB first affected plasma mem-brane structure, and then intracytoplasmic organelles. Thus it seems that PHMB kills Acanthamoeba cyst as a similar mechanism as the biocide erad-icates the other bacteria by cell wall damage and respiratory enzyme inter-ruption(J Korean Ophthalmol Soc 41:2663~2668, 2000).