Abstract
The biological reaction caused by oxygen-derived free radicals at the molecular and cellular levels involves many different biochemical components which can be directly damaged by oxidizing radicals. As such a reaction may lead to pathological processes, defence mechanisms have evolved to limit the rate of free radical production. These mechanisms employ low-molecular-weight non-enzymatic antioxidants and antioxidant enzymes which are inducible by oxidant stress. In this study, the activity of two antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) and glutathione peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.9), and the level of non-enzymatic antioxidants (total antioxidant status) in the blood from mice infected with Trichinella spiralis was examined. We observed a statistically significant, up to above twofold increase (relative to the control value in uninfected mice) in the level of both enzymes as well as in the total antioxidant status. An intensification of antioxidant processes during trichinellosis could be related to the presence of T. spiralis larvae, which may induce phagocytes to generate free radicals. Our research shows that the maximum growth in antioxidant activity in the blood appears during the period of the greatest muscle damage caused by T. spiralis infection at 3–7 weeks post-infection.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abdallahi O, Hanna S, De Reggi M, Gharib B (1999) Visualization of oxygen radical production in mouse liver in response to infection with Schistosoma mansoni. Liver 19:495–500
Boczoń K, Hadaś E, Wandurska-Nowak E, Derda M (1996) A stimulation of antioxidants in muscles of Trichinella spiralis infected rats. Acta Parasitol 41:136–138
Derda M, Hadaś E (2000) Antioxidants and proteolytic enzymes in experimental trichinellosis. Acta Parasitol 45:356–361
Derda M, Wandurska-Nowak E, Boczoń K (2001) Glutathione-S-transferase activity in mouse muscle during experimental trichinellosis. Wiad Parazytol 47:227–232
Derda M, Boczoń K, Wandurska-Nowak E, Wojt W (2003) Changes in the activity of glutathione-S-transferase in muscles and sera from mice infected with Trichinella spiralis after treatment with albendazole and levamisole. Parasitol Res 89:509–512
El-Sokkary G, Omar H, Hassanein A, Cuzzocrea S, Reiter R (2002) Melatonin reduces oxidative damage and increases survival of mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni. Free Radic Biol Med 15:319–332
Gharib B, Abdallahi O, Dessein H, De Reggi M (1999) Development of eosinophil peroxidase activity and concomitant alteration of the antioxidant defenses in the liver of mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni. J Hepatol 30:594–602
Hadaś E, Gustowska L (1995) Histochemical investigations of the biochemical defence mechanism in experimental trichinellosis: I. Peroxidase activity. Trop Med Parasitol 46:278–280
James E (1994) Superoxide dismutase. Parasitol Today 10:481–484
Kehrer J (1993) Free radicals as mediators of tissue injury and disease. Crit Rev Toxicol 23:21–48
Kraus R, Ganther H (1980) Reaction of cyanide with glutathione peroxidase. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 96:1116–1122
McCord J (1993) Human disease, free radicals, and the oxidant/antioxidant balance. Clin Biochem 26:351–357
Miller N, Rice-Evans C, Davies M, Gopinathan V, Milner A (1993) A novel method for measuring antioxidant capacity and its application to monitoring the antioxidant status in premature neonates. Clin Sci 84:407–412
Miller R, Britigan B (1997) Role of oxidants in microbial pathophysiology. Clin Microbiol Rev 10:1-18
Morel F, Doussiere P, Vagnis P (1991) The superoxide-generating oxidase of phagocytic cells. Physiological, molecular and pathological aspects. Eur J Biochem 201:523–546
Paglia D, Valentine V (1967) Studies on the quantitative and qualitative characterization of erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase. J Lab Clin Med 70:158–169
Perez-Fuentes R, Guegan J, Barnabe C, Lopez-Colombo A, Salgado-Rosas H, Torres-Rasgado E, Briones B, Romero-Diaz M, Ramos-Jimenez J, Sanchez-Guillen M (2003) Severity of chronic Chagas disease is associated with cytokine/antioxidant imbalance in chronically infected individuals. Int J Parasitol 33:293–299
Postma N, Mommers E, Eling W, Zuidema J (1996) Oxidative stress in malaria: implications for prevention and therapy. Pharm World Sci 18:121–129
Premaratna R, Chandrasena T, Abeyewickreme W, Chandrasena L, Senarath S, De Silva N, De Silva H (2002) Red blood cell antioxidant levels in Wuchereria bancrofti infection. Exp Parasitol 102:81–88
Salvemini D, Cuzzocrea S (2002) Superoxide, superoxide dismutase and ischemic injury. Curr Opin Investig Drugs 3:886–895
Sanchez-Campos S, Tunon M, Gonzalez P, Gonzalez-Gallego J (1999) Oxidative stress and changes in liver antioxidant enzymes induced by experimental dicroceliosis in hamsters. Parasitol Res 85:468–474
Sies H (1993) Strategies of antioxidant defense. Eur J Biochem 215:213–219
Suttle N (1986) Cooper deficiency in ruminants: recent developments. Vet Rec 119:519–522
Wandurska-Nowak E, Boczoń K, Derda M, Hadaś E (1998) The effect of methylprednisolone on the dynamics of oxygen uptake and peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities in skeletal muscles of mice infected with Trichinella spiralis larvae. Acta Parasitol 43:54–56
Woolliams J, Wiener G, Anderson P, McMurray C (1983) Variation in the activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase and in the concentration of cooper in the blood in various breed crosses of sheep. Res Vet Sci 34:253–256
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Derda, M., Wandurska-Nowak, E. & Hadaś, E. Changes in the level of antioxidants in the blood from mice infected with Trichinella spiralis . Parasitol Res 93, 207–210 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-004-1093-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-004-1093-9