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Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA in target organs of lethal and non‐lethal strains of murine malaria
Author(s) -
Nahrevanian Hossein,
Dascombe Michael J.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
parasite immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1365-3024
pISSN - 0141-9838
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3024.2002.00490.x
Subject(s) - plasmodium berghei , biology , nitric oxide synthase , spleen , plasmodium chabaudi , nitric oxide , malaria , immunology , cerebral malaria , messenger rna , parasitemia , plasmodium falciparum , endocrinology , biochemistry , gene
SUMMARY Nitric oxide (NO) is a putative mediator of the immunological and/or pathological responses to malaria, consequently it is a potential target for novel drug therapy. Numerous cell types increase expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) under inflammatory conditions, the most relevant stimuli being cytokines and endotoxins. In this study the expression of iNOS mRNA in several target organs (brain, liver, spleen) of malaria have been investigated in MF1 mice during lethal Plasmodium (P.) berghei and non‐lethal P. c. chabaudi infection. In P. berghei malaria, iNOS mRNA decreased in liver and was unchanged in spleen during the period of rising parasitaemia, but increased in both organs late in the infection, when parasitaemia was high and death imminent. In mice infected with P. c. chabaudi , spleen iNOS mRNA increased progressively throughout the early, peak and recovery periods of parasitaemia, but decreased in liver. Brain iNOS mRNA decreased in samples collected throughout the time courses of both infections. Hence it is evident that changes in iNOS mRNA in murine malaria depend upon the tissue, day of infection, degree of parasitaemia and strain of Plasmodium . These data indicate induction of iNOS mRNA in the spleen has a role in combating these strains of Plasmodium in MF1 mice. Failure to clear lethal P. berghei parasitaemia was associated with increased iNOS mRNA expression in the liver, which may contribute to the pathology of this malaria.