Entamoeba histolytica: a simplified method to quantify its cytotoxicity

A simplified and reliable method to quantify Entamoeba histolytica cytotoxicity was standardized. Mice spleen leucocytes were utilized as target cells. Interaction time was reduced to 1 h by pelleting interacting cells. To assess target-cell killing by amoebae, a nigrosine exclusion test was employed. Fixation with glutaraldehyde stabilized the percentage of stained target cells. Similar results were obtained when cytotoxicity of the E. histolytica HM1 strain was tested by the traditional and proposed methods. The new method allowed quantification of the contribution of cytolysis and cytophagocytosis to amoebic cytotoxicity. It was also demonstrated that uncloned E. histolytica HM1 strain is a heterogeneous population with respect to cytotoxicity expression.