In vitro susceptibility of Acanthamoeba culbertsoni to inhibitors of folate biosynthesis.

The effects of different sulphonamides, dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors and other inhibitors of folate metabolism on growth of Acanthamoeba culbertsoni in a chemically defined medium are reported. Among the sulphonamides, sulphamethoxazole and sulphadiazine were most effective followed by sulphanilamide and sulphaguanidine. Inhibition by each sulphonamide was reversed by p-aminobenzoic acid as well as folic acid. 7-Methylguanosine, a pteridine synthesis-inhibitor, did not inhibit multiplication of A. culbertsoni. Among the dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors, pyrimethamine blocked the amoebic growth at 100 micrograms/ml, while trimethoprim and cycloguanil palmoate failed to cause significant inhibition of growth even at 250 micrograms/ml. Metoprine inhibited amoebic growth completely at 50 micrograms/ml. Methotrexate and a thymidylate synthetase inhibitor 5-fluorouracil inhibited growth strongly, with IC50 values (the concentration of the drug which causes 50% inhibition of the growth at 72 h) of 1.97 and 2.45 micrograms/ml, respectively. Inhibition by methotrexate, metoprine or 5-fluorouracil could not be reversed by folic acid, folinic acid, thymidine, or folinic acid plus thymidine. The results indicate unusual features in A. culbertsoni folate metabolism.