STUDY OF OXIDATIVE-STRESS IN ROTAVIRUS INFECTED INFANT MICE

Rotavirus induced diarrhoea was investigated in neonatal mice. Assessm ent of oxidative/antioxidative profile was the mechanistic approach to study the nature of injury. Neonatal mice (NMRI strain) were infected orally with the homologous strain of (EB) rotavirus (serotype 3). The peak severity of rotavirus infection was attained on the third day po st infection. The whole small intestine of neonatal mice on day 3 post infection was homogenized and analysed for oxidative/antioxidative pr ofile. Glutathione and related thiols were significantly declined in r otavirus infected group. Superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase (1-chloro 2, 4 dinitrobenzene) activitie s were also decreased in the rotavirus infected group. The activities of glutathione reductase and glutathione-S-transferase (ethacrynic aci d) however were elevated with rotavirus infection in comparison to the control group. Similarly, ADP-FeCl3, NADPH induced lipid peroxidation was elevated with rotavirus infection. Thus the altered oxidative/ant ioxidative profile indicated the presence of oxidative stress in the r otavirus infected group and can be postulated to have a prominent role in the pathogenesis of the disease.