Extracellular protease profile of Acanthamoeba after prolonged axenic culture and after interaction with MDCK cells.

Free-living amoebae of the genus Acanthamoeba are causative agents of Acanthamoeba keratitis and amoebic encephalitis in humans, both of which are serious infections. The ability to produce proteases is one of the factors involved in the pathogenesis of Acanthamoeba infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the secreted proteases of six Acanthamoeba strains from distinct genotypes (T1, T2, T4 and T11) maintained in prolonged axenic culture and following three successive passages in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells.