Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34994769›Full record

ArticleInvestigative ophthalmology & visual science2022

Amoebicidal Activity of Poly-Epsilon-Lysine Functionalized Hydrogels.

Stephnie M Kennedy, Pallavi Deshpande, Andrew G Gallagher, Malcolm J Horsburgh, Heather E Allison, Stephen B Kaye, Donald A Wellings, Rachel L Williams

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 17% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
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  3. Sustained-release drug delivery systems.Eye (London, England) · 2025
    Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Stephnie M KennedyDepartment of Eye and Vision Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Pallavi DeshpandeDepartment of Eye and Vision Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Andrew G GallagherSpheriTech Ltd, The Heath Business and Technical Park, Runcorn, Cheshire, United Kingdom.
Malcolm J HorsburghDepartment of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Heather E AllisonDepartment of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Stephen B KayeDepartment of Eye and Vision Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Donald A WellingsSpheriTech Ltd, The Heath Business and Technical Park, Runcorn, Cheshire, United Kingdom.
Rachel L WilliamsDepartment of Eye and Vision Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
University of Liverpool · GBSpheriTech (United Kingdom) · GB

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/R006334/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the amoebicidal activity of functionalized poly-epsilon-lysine hydrogels (pɛK+) against Acanthamoeba castellanii. Methods: A. castellanii trophozoites and cysts were grown in the presence of pɛK solution (0-2.17 mM), pɛK or pɛK+ hydrogels, or commercial hydrogel contact lens (CL) for 24 hours or 7 days in PBS or Peptone-Yeast-Glucose (PYG) media (nutrient-deplete or nutrient-replete cultures, respectively). Toxicity was determined using propidium iodide and imaged using fluorescence microscopy. Ex vivo porcine corneas were inoculated with A. castellanii trophozoites ± pɛK, pɛK+ hydrogels or commercial hydrogel CL for 7 days. Corneal infection was assessed by periodic acid-Schiff staining and histologic analysis. Regrowth of A. castellanii from hydrogel lenses and corneal discs at 7 days was assessed using microscopy and enumeration. Results: The toxicity of pɛK+ hydrogels resulted in the death of 98.52% or 83.31% of the trophozoites at 24 hours or 7 days, respectively. The toxicity of pɛK+ hydrogels resulted in the death of 70.59% or 82.32% of the cysts in PBS at 24 hours or 7 days, respectively. Cysts exposed to pɛK+ hydrogels in PYG medium resulted in 75.37% and 87.14% death at 24 hours and 7 days. Ex vivo corneas infected with trophozoites and incubated with pɛK+ hydrogels showed the absence of A. castellanii in the stroma, with no regrowth from corneas or pɛK+ hydrogel, compared with infected-only corneas and those incubated in presence of commercial hydrogel CL. Conclusions: pɛK+ hydrogels demonstrated pronounced amoebicidal and cysticidal activity against A. castellanii. pɛK+ hydrogels have the potential for use as CLs that could minimize the risk of CL-associated Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Indexed as

Acanthamoeba castellaniiAcanthamoeba KeratitisAmebicidesAnimalsCells, CulturedContact Lens SolutionsCorneaDisease Models, AnimalEpithelium, CornealEye Infections, ParasiticHumansHydrogelsMicroscopy, FluorescencePolylysineSwineTrophozoitesAmebicidesContact Lens SolutionsHydrogelsPolylysine

Identifiers

PMID34994769
PMCPMC8742527
OpenAlexW4206452788

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.