Oxidative stress and tryptophan degradation pattern of acute Toxoplasma gondii infection in mice

ENGİN A. B., DOĞRUMAN AL F., Ercin U., Celebi B., Babur C., BUKAN N.

PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH, cilt.111, sa.4, ss.1725-1730, 2012 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 111 Sayı: 4
  • Basım Tarihi: 2012
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s00436-012-3015-6
  • Dergi Adı: PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1725-1730
  • Gazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Toxoplasma gondii is a very common obligate single-cell protozoan parasite which induces overproduction of interferon (IFN)-gamma and of other proinflammatory cytokines. Although immunomodulatory role of IFN-gamma favors tryptophan (Trp) degradation via indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) activity and is related with nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, the mechanism of antitoxoplasma activity is complex. In order to characterize the Trp degradation pattern during the acute T. gondii infection, serum Trp, kynurenine (Kyn), and urinary biopterin levels of mice were measured. The possible oxidative status was evaluated by the liver, spleen, brain, and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and NO levels. Increased free radical toxicity may cause elevation in tissue MDA in T. gondii-infected mice, while unchanged serum MDA might indicate the increased oxidative stress due to T. gondii infection restricted to intracellular area. Elevated serum NO most probably might be due to the formation of reactive nitrogen radicals. The Kyn/Trp ratio was higher in T. gondii-infected mice compared to healthy animals (p < 0.05); however, it was not correlated with urinary biopterin. These results suggested that Trp degradation might be promoted by a pathway other than IDO during T. gondii infection and the reduction of Trp concentration favors the local immunosuppression and systemic tolerance.