ULTRA STRUCTURE CHANGES OF DIOSGENIN-TREATED HUMAN MONOCYTE U937-DERIVED MACROPHAGES INDUCED BY &ITNAEGLERIA FOWLERI &ITLYSATE

Diosgenin has anti-amoebic activity against Naegleria fowleri and anti-inflammatory activity inhuman monocyte U937-derived macrophages incubated with Naegleria lysate. In order to better understand the mode of action of diosgenin, human monocyte U937-derived macrophages were induced by N. fowleri lysate and investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM revealed mor-phological changes of human monocyte U937-derived macrophages in size, shape, cytoplasmic extensions and microvilli. The formation of the disrupted membrane structure occurred in a time-dependent manner. No significant differences in cell morphology were observed between diosgenin-treated samples and untreated cells; however, macrophages induced by N. fowleri lysate or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were completely damaged by 48 hours of incubation. Diosgenin-treated macrophages induced by N. fowleri lysate and LPS had thorn-like protrusions from filopodia and lamilipodia. Our findings show the affect of diosgenin at the ultracellular level.