title: [Acute infection of Toxoplasma gondii affects the level of oxygen free radicals in serum and testes of mice].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the impact of Toxoplasma gondii infection on the level of oxygen free radicals and antioxidant enzyme in serum and testes of mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  40 BALB/c male mice were randomly divided into four groups. Five mice from each group were injected intraperitoneally with 2.5 x 10(3) tachyzoites of T. gondii, the others received PBS. Mice were sacrificed on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th day after inoculation. Samples of serum and testes were collected to determine the content of oxygen free radicals and superoxide dismutase (SOD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concentration of the oxygen free radicals (NO, *OH, O2-) in serum and testes of the mice increased along with the days of infection. The concentration of SOD reached a peak on the 3rd day after the injection and then decreased. Both of oxygen free radicals and SOD showed a statistical difference with the control (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acute infection of T. gondii leads to n increase of oxygen free radicals and SOD in the serum and testes of mice.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Parasitology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China.
authors.forename: Jun-Feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hui-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: Yu-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Zhi-Shen
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hua-Xiang
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Yan-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Ting-Ting
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chun-Yan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Li-Na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000032:analysis; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase