title: Production of free radical species during Eimeria maxima infections in chickens.
abstract: Five experiments were conducted to investigate the production of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide anion (O2-) during infections of chickens with the coccidial parasite, Eimeria maxima, in order to assess the importance of these free radical species in the pathogenesis of the infections. Nitric oxide production was estimated by analyzing NO2(-)+NO3-, stable metabolites of NO, in the plasma and intestinal mucosa. The potential for O2- production was estimated from activities of beta-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase in mucosal homogenates. Levels of NO2(-)+NO3- reached maximum values at about 6 d postinoculation, a time when mucosal damage was high and oocysts were being shed. The activity of NADPH oxidase in infected mucosa was also increased. Thus, at that time, there was a potential for oxidative destruction of mucosal tissue from these free radicals and their reaction products. Levels of NO2(-)+NO3- did not increase in a stepwise manner with increasing infective dose, suggesting that production of NO may be regulated post-transcriptionally by other factors elaborated by the immune response to infection, or may be controlled by substrate limitations. A comparison of two E. maxima strains indicated that the virulence of a strain was not directly related to NO production. Increased production of O2- due to increased NADPH oxidase activity during infection may cause a reduction in levels of carotenoid pigments that is unrelated to malabsorption.
authors.affiliation: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, USA.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Allen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004539:Eimeria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D019255:NADPH Oxidases / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D019335:Nitroarginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005609:Free Radicals; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D013481:Superoxides; D019335:Nitroarginine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002338:Carotenoids; D019255:NADPH Oxidases