Injection of free radical generators causes premature onset of tissue damage in malaria-infected mice.
Lymphoid and liver damage does not usually occur in Plasmodium vinckei-infected mice until parasitaemias reach 70-80 per cent and the mice are showing signs of illness. We report here that these changes can be induced in mice of healthy appearance and lower parasitaemia by injecting divicine or tertiary-butyl hydroperoxide, two generators of free oxygen radicals. The same or larger doses of these radical generators did not induce this tissue damage in normal mice. Phagocytic leukocytes are activated in P. vinckei-infected mice, and secretion by these cells of toxic oxygen metabolites has been suggested to be part of this process. Additive effects of these free radicals and those generated from divicine and t-butyl hydroperoxide could account for the increased susceptibility of parasitized mice to tissue damage by these agents.
I A
IA
Clark
E J
EJ
Mackie
W B
WB
Cowden
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000187:drug effects; D008288:Malaria / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010545:Peroxides / Q000633:toxicity*; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011744:Pyrimidinones / Q000633:toxicity*; D020122:tert-Butylhydroperoxide
D010545:Peroxides; D011744:Pyrimidinones; C026511:divicine; D020122:tert-Butylhydroperoxide