Possible roles of nitric oxide and peroxynitrite in murine leishmaniasis.

Abstract

Activated macrophages simultaneously synthesize nitric oxide and superoxide anion which can react with each other producing peroxynitrite. Consequently, it has been difficult to assess the precise contribution of each of the formed reactive oxygen- and nitrogen-derived species to the microbicidal activities of macrophages, particularly in vivo. To explore this problem, we are examining the formation and potential roles of nitrogen-derived intermediates in Leishmania amazonensis murine infection. Thus far, our results have demonstrated that peroxynitrite is a potent leishmanicidal agent in vitro and that both nitric oxide and peroxynitrite are formed during infection of the susceptible BALB/c mouse strain. Nitric oxide was detected as the nitrosyl-hemoglobin complex by electron paramagnetic resonance analysis of blood drawn from mice at different times of infection, and it was shown to increase with the evolution of the disease. These results will be discussed in the context of the dual physiological role of nitric oxide either as a signaling molecule or as a deleterious agent.

• Authors: O Augusto, E Linares, S Giorgio
• Journal: Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas (Braz J Med Biol Res) Vol. 29 Issue 7 Pg. 853-62 (Jul 1996) ISSN: 0100-879X [Print] Brazil
• PMID: 9070374 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)

Chemical References

• Anions
• Hemoglobins
• Nitrates
• Oxidants
• Reactive Oxygen Species
• Superoxides
• peroxynitric acid
• Nitric Oxide
• Tyrosine

Topics

• Animals
• Anions (metabolism)
• Hemoglobins (biosynthesis)
• Leishmania major (drug effects, immunology, metabolism)
• Leishmaniasis (immunology, metabolism)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Nitrates (metabolism, pharmacology)
• Nitric Oxide (metabolism, pharmacology, physiology)
• Oxidants (metabolism)
• Reactive Oxygen Species (metabolism)
• Superoxides (metabolism)
• Tyrosine (biosynthesis)