THE EFFECTS OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII INFECTION ON MALONDIALDEHYDE AND C-REACTIVE PROTEIN LEVELS IN PREGNANT RATS Hafi Nurinasari(a), Sajidan(a), Bambang Purwanto(a), Dono Indarto(a), Didik T Subekti(b,c)
a.Doctorate Program of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia
Biology Study Program, Faculty of Education, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia
Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia
Department of Physiology and Biomedical Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia
b.The Center of Veterinary Research (BBALITVET) Bogor
c. Biomedical Research Center, National Research and Innovation Center (BRIN)
Abstract
Introduction: Toxoplasmosis is a human disease due to intracellular infection of Toxoplasma gondii, which induces oxidative stress and inflammation. These defense mechanisms often result in massive cell damage, which is characterized by increases of malondialdehyde (MDA) and proinflammatory cytokine productions. Interleukin 6 as an example of proinflammatory cytokine will stimulate the hepatocytes to release a soluble mediator of the innate immune system, C reactive protein (CRP), in order to inhibit the parasite infection.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of T.gondii infection on serum MDA and CRP levels in pregnant rats.
Materials and Methods: This laboratory experiment with posttest only group design used 20 female Wistar rats (Rattus novergicus), which aged 6 until 8 weeks and weighed 150 until 200 g. Selected female rats were randomly divided into four groups, named control group that was not given any Toxoplasma isolate, and the other three groups were differentiated based on the dose of Toxoplasma isolate given (10 tachyzoites, 100 tachyzoites, and 1000 tachyzoites respectively). On the day 12 of pregnancy, all rats in the treatment groups were intraperitoneally injected with 2 ml of Toxoplasma isolates. Blood samples were then collected in the end of pregnancy for measurement of serum MDA and CRP levels.
Results: Serum MDA and CRP levels increased significantly in all pregnant rats of T groups, compared to that of control group (p < 0.001). Furthermore, serum MDA and CRP levels in all four groups were dose dependent manner. Sequentially from the control group to the third treatment group mean difference in MDA levels was (1,68 nmol/ml- 5,375 nmol/ml- 8,737 nmol/ml- and 10,8 nmol/ml) and in CRP levels was (2,975 mg/L- 4,382 mg/L- 15,727 mg/L- and 17,970 mg/L).
Conclusion: Toxoplasma infection increases serum MDA and CRP levels in dose dependent manner in pregnant rats.
Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii, MDA, CRP, Pregnant rat
Topic: Medical : basic science, clinical, translational research, medical education, and miscellaneous
