THE DEGRADATION RATES OF CYTOPLASMIC TRANSFER-RNA, RIBOSOMAL-RNA AND MESSENGER-RNA IN RATS ARE ELEVATED AFTER INFECTION WITH NIPPOSTRONGYLUS-BRASILIENSIS

The effects of a parasitic infection with the nematode Nippostrongylus brasiliensis on the degradation rates of cytoplasmic tRNA, rRNA and m RNA in rats have been investigated by measuring the renal excretion ra tes of the modified RNA catabolites N-6-threoninocarbonyladenosine, ps eudouridine and 7-methylguanine. Between days 9 and 13 post-infection when the expulsion of N. brasiliensis is usually the most pronounced, the degradation rates of the different RNA classes were significantly higher than in the control rats (P < 0.05) by, on average, +24%, (tRNA ), +34% (rRNA) and +26% (mRNA). We suspect that the elevated degradati on rates of RNA are related to an increased production of reactive oxy gen species by the host during the expulsion of N. brasiliensis.