Alterations of oxidative–antioxidative status in human cutaneous leishmaniasis

The Possible Role of Selected Vitamins and Minerals in the Therapeutic Outcomes of Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease declared as an endemic in areas suffering from severe malnutrition and poverty. The factors associated with poverty like low income, ecological factors, and malnutrition cause disruption in immunity and host defense increasing risk of infection. Altered resistance to infection and host susceptibility are associated with low micronutrient levels in undernourished patients. Malnutrition has been recognized as a poor predictive marker for leishmaniasis, in particular the deficiency of trace elements like zinc, iron, and vitamin A, B, C, D which has a prominent function in the regulation of innate and adaptive immunity, cell proliferation, human physiology, etc. Malnourishment can exacerbate host sensitivity and pathophysiologic intensity to infection in variety of ways, whereas infection can enhance underlying poor nutrition or enhance host vulnerability and sandfly's urge to attack specific hosts. The intensity of leishmaniasis can be influenced by body mass and micronutrient availability in the blood. Vitamin D, C, zinc, and iron are proved effective in inhibiting the growth of leishmaniasis in both amastigote or promastigote forms, either directly or by acting as precursor for a pathway which inhibits the parasite growth. This article elucidates a new perception to the crucial role of micronutrients and their probable role in the therapeutic outcomes of leishmaniasis. Since there is requirement of novel drugs to fight drug resistance and relapse of leishmaniasis, this article may pave way to understand the importance of micronutrients and their role in therapeutic outcomes of leishmaniasis.

Evaluation of thiol/disulphide balance in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate serum thiol disulphide levels in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) compared with a healthy control group and to investigate whether thiol/disulphide balance can be used as a new marker of oxidative stress in CL patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This prospective study included 47 patients diagnosed with CL and 46 healthy individuals without any disease. Native thiol, disulphide and total thiol levels were used in plasma. Disulphide/total thiol, disulphide/native thiol and native thiol/total thiol levels were measured.

RESULTS

Disulphide, native thiol disulphide and total thiol disulphide levels were significantly lower in CL patients compared with the control group. However, there was no statistically significant difference between CL patients and the control group in terms of disulphide/native thiol, disulphide/total thiol and native thiol/total thiol values.

CONCLUSION

Based on the data in our study, it can be said that the use of thiol/disulphide balance as a new oxidative stress marker in CL patients is not appropriate, but studies with a larger number of patients are needed.

Redox Status in Canine Leishmaniasis

Simple Summary

Leishmaniasis is under strict observation by World Health Organization but its pathogenesis has not been completely clarified yet. Our aim was to compare healthy and affected dogs measuring parameters related to oxidative stress, namely reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species and scavenger activities, using colorimetric assays. Our results demonstrate that several of the examined parameters are modified in canine Leishmaniasis. Therefore, it is essential to further investigate this topic to shed light on the pathogenesis of the disease.

Abstract

The World Health Organization defined leishmaniasis as one of the priority attention diseases. Aiming to clarify some aspects of its pathogenetic mechanisms, our study focused on the assessment of redox status in dogs, the main reservoir for Leishmania infantum. Forty-five dogs from an endemic area in southern Italy were divided into four different groups (from mild disease with negative to low positive antibody levels to very severe disease with medium to high positive antibody levels) according to the LeishVet group guidelines. Their plasma and/or sera were tested for reactive oxygen species (ROS), namely the superoxide anion (O₂⁻), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), such as nitric oxide (NO) and hydroperoxides (ROOH), as well as activity of the detoxifying enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity, as determined by the ferric reducing-antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. O₂⁻ generation was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in leishmaniasis-affected dogs independently of the clinical stage, while NO production was stimulated (p < 0.05) only in II and III stage patients. No difference could be found for the levels of hydroperoxides and SOD activity between healthy and pathological subjects. FRAP values were lower in affected dogs but only in stage II. Taken together, although we demonstrated that several redox status parameters are altered in the plasma of dog affected by leishmaniasis, the oxidative stress changes that are observed in this disease, are possibly mainly due to cellular blood components i.e., neutrophils responsible for the elimination of the parasite. Further studies are required to assess the clinical values of the collected data.

Evaluation of the oxidant-antioxidant balance, isoprostane and quantitative CRP in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis

INTRODUCTION

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a dermal disease caused by several species of the genus Leishmania. It is an endemic disease with 1.2 million new cases occurring annually and mostly in developing countries. Oxidative stress is a condition of an imbalance in oxidant/antioxidant which may play a role in many different pathologic conditions. For the first time in this study, we introduced isoprostane as a reliable index for oxidative stress in patients suffering from leishmaniasis. We also investigated the possible relation between quantitative CRP and this disease.

METHOD AND MATERIAL

We collected 5 ml blood of 30 patients in addition to the same sample of the control healthy group. After applying appropriate methods, the plasma and serum specimens were extracted in order to conduct oxidant-antioxidant balance and CRP tests in serum as well as measuring isoprostane factor in plasma.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

We used T-student, ANOVA as well as linear regression to analyze the gathered data with a 0.05 confidence interval in SPSS environment.

RESULTS

The results showed a significant difference between the two groups in terms of the oxidant-antioxidant balance. Also, isoprostane and quantitative CRP levels were substantially higher in patients. There was no significant relationship between the mentioned factors and wound size and number.

CONCLUSION

Leishmania Amastigotes plays an important role in disturbing the oxidant-antioxidant balance resulting in inflammation and stress in patients. Furthermore, isoprostane was confirmed as a reliable index for evaluating oxidative stress in patients.

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) Juice Shows Antioxidant Activity against Cutaneous Leishmaniasis-Induced Oxidative Stress in Female BALB/c Mice

Leishmania species are parasites that multiply within phagocytes and cause several clinical diseases characterized by single or multiple ulcerations. One of the complications that can induce tissue damage and the resulting scars is caused by secondary bacterial infections. Studies to find new, effective, and safe oral drugs for treating leishmaniasis are being conducted since several decades, owing to the problems associated with the use of antimonials available. Previously, the antiparasitic and antioxidant properties of Punica granatum (pomegranate, P. granatum) have been reported. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to investigate the antileishmanial activity of pomegranate aqueous juice in vitro and in female BALB/c mice. A 3-(4.5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay in Leishmania major promastigotes and alterations in the antioxidant status, liver function, and skin histological changes in L. major-infected mice orally treated with pomegranate juice alone and in combination with the antibiotic ciprofloxacin, were used to investigate the in vitro and in vivo antileishmanial activity of pomegranate juice, respectively. Oral P. granatum juice treatment significantly reduced the average size of cutaneous leishmaniasis lesions compared with that of the untreated mice. This antileishmanial activity of P. granatum was associated with enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities. Histopathological evaluation proved the antileishmanial activity of P. granatum, but did not reveal changes in the treated animals, compared to the positive control. In conclusion, P. granatum shows high and fast antileishmanial activity probably by boosting the endogenous antioxidant activity.

Protective effects of honokiol on ischemia/reperfusion injury of rat ovary: an experimental study

Aim

The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect of honokiol on experimental ischemia/reperfusion injury of rat ovary.

Materials and methods

A total of 40 female Wistar albino rats were used in this study. The rats were divided into five groups as follows: sham (Group I), torsion (Group II), torsion + detorsion (Group III), torsion + detorsion + saline (Group IV), and torsion + detorsion + honokiol (Group V). Bilateral adnexa in all the rats except for those in the sham group were exposed to torsion for 3 hours. The rats in Group IV were administered saline, whereas the rats in Group V were administered honokiol by intraperitoneal route 30 minutes before detorsion. Tissue and plasma concentrations of malondialdehyde and nitric oxide were determined. Ovarian tissue was histologically evaluated. Data analyses were performed by means of Kruskal–Wallis test and Mann–Whitney U-test (Bonferroni correction) in SPSS 15.0 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences; SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).

Results

The torsion and detorsion groups had higher scores in vascular congestion, hemorrhage, and inflammatory cell infiltration compared with the sham group (P<0.005). In addition, total histopathological scores were significantly higher in the torsion and detorsion groups compared with the sham group (P<0.005). A significant reduction was observed in hemorrhage, inflammatory cell infiltration, and cellular degeneration scores, of all histopathological scores, in the honokiol group (P<0.005). Ovarian tissue concentrations of malondialdehyde were significantly higher in the torsion and detorsion groups compared with the sham and honokiol groups (P<0.005). Ovarian tissue concentrations of nitric oxide, on the other hand, were significantly higher in the torsion group compared with the sham, saline, and honokiol groups (P<0.005).

Conclusion

Honokiol has a beneficial effect on ovarian torsion-related ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Oxidative stress in mice treated with antileishmanial meglumine antimoniate

In order to improve the understanding of the toxicity of pentavalent antimony (Sb(V)), we investigated the acute effects of meglumine antimoniate (MA) on the oxidative stress in heart, liver, kidney, spleen and brain tissue of mice. Levels of lipoperoxidation and protein carbonylation were measured to evaluate the oxidative status, whereas superoxide dismutase/catalase activity and glutathione levels were recorded to examine the antioxidative status. We observed that MA caused significant protein carbonylation in the heart, spleen and brain tissue. Increased lipoperoxidation was found in the liver and brain tissue. An imbalance between superoxide dismutase and catalase activities could be observed in heart, liver, spleen and brain tissue. Our results suggest that MA causes oxidative stress in several vital organs of mice. This indicates that the production of highly reactive oxygen and nitrogen species induced by MA might be involved in some of its toxic adverse effects.

The Effect of High Dose Methylprednisolone on Experimental Ovarian Torsion/Reperfusion Injury in Rats

Purpose: Aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of high dose methylprednisolone on experimental ovarian torsion-detorsion injury in rats. Materials and Methods: Twenty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups. Group 1 (ischemia group, 8 rats) were subjected to left adnexal torsion for 2 h but received no treatment. Group 2 (methylprednisolone group, 8 rats) were subjected to left adnexal torsion for 2 h and received methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg, administered intraperitoneally) at the end of a 2-hour ischemic period followed by 24-hour reperfusion. Group 3 (control group, 6 rats) underwent a sham operation with no adnexal torsion and no treatment. Results: Serum malondialdehyde (MDA), ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), total oxidant status (TOS) and tissue MDA levels were increased in Group 1 rats; total antioxidant status (TAS) levels and oxidative stress index (OSI) were significantly decreased compared with rats in Groups 2 and 3 (p < 0.05). MDA, IMA, TOS and tissue MDA levels were lower and TAS levels and OSI were higher in Group 3 compared to Group 2. Ovarian damage scores in Group 1 were significantly higher compared with Groups 2 and 3 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that high dose methylprednisolone reduces ovarian ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Trypanosoma evansi: Effect of experimental infection on the osmotic fragility, lipid peroxidation and calcium-ATPase activity of rat red blood cells

Trypanosoma evansi is the causative agent of equine trypanosomoses. The disease is characterized by fever, anemia, and cachexia. Peroxidative damage of the red blood cells caused by the parasite, may contribute to the pathogenesis of the anemia seen in trypanosomoses. Consequently, we evaluated the hematocrit, the osmotic fragility of the red blood cells, the level of lipid peroxidation and the activity of the Ca-ATPase of red blood cell ghosts from rats experimentally infected with T. evansi. After 72 h inoculation, the hematocrit decreased from 49.5% to 33%; the osmotic fragility of the red blood cells was approximately 40% higher as compared to the healthy animals; and the red blood cell ghosts showed a higher level of lipid peroxidation and a lower Ca-ATPase activity than the red cell ghosts from the healthy animals. In vitro incubations of red blood cells from healthy animals with T. evansi, produced also a significant increase of the osmotic fragility of the red blood cells.

Erythrocyte glutathione status in human visceral leishmaniasis

A glutathione redox cycle is a major antioxidant defense system for the detoxification of reactive oxygen species within erythrocytes. Reactive oxygen species such as superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals are generated as a host defense mechanism for killing of engulfed Leishmania donovani, a causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis, are capable of damaging lipids and other biomolecules when produced in excess. Erythrocytes are most vulnerable to Reactive oxygen species. In present study we aimed to evaluate erythrocyte reduced glutathione (GSH) levels as an antioxidant and erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA) as a marker of lipid peroxidation. The study included twenty-five Visceral leishmaniasis patients and they were followed up after their complete chemotherapy with antileishmanial drugs (sodium stibogluconate) for 30 days. Forty six age and sex matched healthy individuals were taken as controls. GSH levels in erythrocytes of visceral leishmaniasis patients were increased in spite of significant increased erythrocyte MDA as compared to controls. Whereas erythrocyte GSH and MDA levels of follow up patients were decreased as compared to patients before treatment groups. We concluded that visceral leishmaniasis patients are in oxidative stress which most likely induces the endogenous antioxidant such as GSH or its poor utilization by cells.

Increased DNA damage and oxidative stress in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a chronic infectious and granulomatous disease caused by the Leishmania parasite that invades the skin. Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) produced during an inflammatory response are an important part of host-defense strategies of organisms to kill the parasite. However, it is not well known whether these intermediates cause DNA damage in CL patients. We investigated the effect of Leishmania infection on basal levels of DNA strand breaks and on the oxidative/anti-oxidative status of patients with CL, and compared the data with those of healthy subjects. Twenty-five CL patients and 19 age- and sex-matched control subjects were enrolled in the study. We used the single-cell gel electrophoresis (also called comet assay) to measure DNA strand breaks in peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes. Plasma protein carbonyl (PC), malondialdehyde (MDA) and total peroxide (TP) concentrations were measured to determine oxidative status and total anti-oxidative response (TAR) in plasma was measured to determine anti-oxidative status. The mean values of DNA damage and MDA and TP concentrations were significantly higher in CL patients than in the control group (p<0.001, p<0.01 and p<0.001, respectively). PC levels were also higher in patients, but this was not statistically significant (p>0.05). There was a significantly positive correlation between plasma MDA and DNA damage (r=0.524, p<0.01), and a negative correlation between TAR and TP levels (r=-0.790, p<0.001) in the patient group. These findings support the notion that ROS and RNS produced by the organism as a defense strategy may amplify the leishmanicidal activity in patients with CL. However, these intermediates not only cause the killing of the parasite but also induce oxidative damage in non-infected cells. Therefore, these patients must be treated urgently to counteract the oxidative DNA damage.

Serum antioxidant activities, malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels in human cutaneous leishmaniasis

Leishmania sp. are obligate intracellular protozoa that infect and replicate within mammalian macrophages. Macrophages, neutrophils and other phagocytic cells are key components of the antimicrobial and tumoricidal immune responses. These cells are capable of generating large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). To examine antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) patients, activities of two ROS scavenging enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO(.)) have been studied in serum. Blood samples were taken from CL patients before treatment (n = 27) and after the treatment (n = 18). NO(.) and MDA levels, SOD and GSH-Px activities were compared between untreated and treated CL patients and control subjects (n = 23). There was a significant decrease in SOD and GSH-Px activities in the CL patients (P < 0.0001). Significantly higher levels of serum MDA and NO(.) levels were found in CL patients, compared to controls and treated patients. It may be suggested that the overproduction of ROS and RNS results in oxidative stress and the acceleration of lipid peroxidation in CL patients, resulting from altered enzymatic antioxidant activities.