S Srivastava1, A S Alhomida, N J Siddiqi. 1. Department of Genetics, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The methemoglobin reductase system plays a vital role in maintaining the equilibrium between hemoglobin and methemoglobin in blood. Exposure of red blood cells to oxidative stress (pathological/physiological) causes an impairment in this equilibrium. OBJECTIVE: To study the status of methemoglobin and the related reductase system during Plasmoidum yoelii nigeriensis (P. y. nigeriensis) infection in mice. METHOD: Mice were divided into two groups viz., normal mice and P. y. nigeriensis infected mice. Malaria infection was induced by intraperitoneal inoculation of 10(6) infected erythrocytes. RESULTS: The present investigation revealed significant decrease in the activity of methemoglobin reductase, with concomitant rise in methemoglobin content during P. y. nigeriensis infection in mice erythrocytes. This was accompanied with a significant increase in reduced glutathione and ascorbic acid levels. Also the activities of the associated enzymes viz., lactate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-Phosphate dehydrogenase and glutathione reductase were found to increase with progressive rise in parasitemia. CONCLUSION: P. y. nigeriensis infection in mice results in impairment of methemoglobin reductase in the host.
BACKGROUND: The methemoglobin reductase system plays a vital role in maintaining the equilibrium between hemoglobin and methemoglobin in blood. Exposure of red blood cells to oxidative stress (pathological/physiological) causes an impairment in this equilibrium. OBJECTIVE: To study the status of methemoglobin and the related reductase system during Plasmoidum yoelii nigeriensis (P. y. nigeriensis) infection in mice. METHOD:Mice were divided into two groups viz., normal mice and P. y. nigeriensis infected mice. Malaria infection was induced by intraperitoneal inoculation of 10(6) infected erythrocytes. RESULTS: The present investigation revealed significant decrease in the activity of methemoglobin reductase, with concomitant rise in methemoglobin content during P. y. nigeriensisinfection in mice erythrocytes. This was accompanied with a significant increase in reduced glutathione and ascorbic acid levels. Also the activities of the associated enzymes viz., lactate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-Phosphate dehydrogenase and glutathione reductase were found to increase with progressive rise in parasitemia. CONCLUSION: P. y. nigeriensisinfection in mice results in impairment of methemoglobin reductase in the host.