Effect of tumor necrosis factor on hepatic oxidative stress and antioxidant defense indices in normal and Plasmodium yeolii nigeriensis infected mice

Background: Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis (P. y. nigeriensis) produces leth al malaria infection in Swiss albino mice. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) su ch as superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide along with endogenously produced tumor necrosis factor (TNF) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of mal aria. Objective: Study the effect of TNF on hepatic oxidative stress and an tioxidant defense indices in normal and P. y. nigeriensis infected mice. Me thods: Mice were divided into four groups. Normal group, TNF treated group, P. y. nigeriensis infected group, and P. y. nigeriensis infected mice trea ted with TNF group (250 mug/kg body weight, IP). Results: TNF treatment of normal mice caused a highly significant decrease in hepatic superoxide dism utase (SOD) while changes in other oxidative stress and antioxidant defense indices were nonsignificant. On the other hand, TNF treatment of P, y. nig eriensis infected mice caused a highly significant increase in hepatic xant hine oxidase, lipid peroxidation and a significant decrease in hepatic SOD with respect to infected mice. Conclusion: These results suggest that exoge nous TNF acts synergistically with P. y. nigeriensis infection to generate oxidative stress in the host and also causes an impairment of antioxidant d efense enzyme such as superoxide dismutase.