Dexamethasone increased the survival rate in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice

• Published in: Scientific reports 2021-01, Vol.11 (1), p.2623-2623, Article 2623
• Main Authors: Moreira, Danilo Reymão, Uberti, Ana Carolina Musa Gonçalves, Gomes, Antonio Rafael Quadros, Ferreira, Michelli Erica Souza, da Silva Barbosa, Aline, Varela, Everton Luiz Pompeu, Dolabela, Maria Fani, Percário, Sandro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/326/417; 692/699/255; Animal euthanasia; Animals; Arginine; Arginine - pharmacology; Brain research; Dexamethasone; Dexamethasone - pharmacology; Drinking water; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Free radicals; Humanities and Social Sciences; Infections; Ischemia; Laboratories; Lungs; Malaria; Malaria - drug therapy; Male; Mice; multidisciplinary; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Nitric-oxide synthase; Ostomy; Oxidative stress; Parasitemia; Parasitemia - drug therapy; Parasites; Plasmodium berghei; Plasmodium berghei - drug effects; Reperfusion; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Steroids; Survival; Uric acid; Vector-borne diseases
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82032-7

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of dexamethasone on the redox status, parasitemia evolution, and survival rate of Plasmodium berghei -infected mice. Two-hundred and twenty-five mice were infected with Plasmodium berghei and subjected to stimulation or inhibition of NO synthesis. The stimulation of NO synthesis was performed through the administration of L-arginine, while its inhibition was made by the administration of dexamethasone. Inducible NO synthase (iNOS) inhibition by dexamethasone promoted an increase in the survival rate of P . berghei -infected mice, and the data suggested the participation of oxidative stress in the brain as a result of plasmodial infection, as well as the inhibition of brain NO synthesis, which promoted the survival rate of almost 90% of the animals until the 15th day of infection, with possible direct interference of ischemia and reperfusion syndrome, as seen by increased levels of uric acid. Inhibition of brain iNOS by dexamethasone caused a decrease in parasitemia and increased the survival rate of infected animals, suggesting that NO synthesis may stimulate a series of compensatory redox effects that, if overstimulated, may be responsible for the onset of severe forms of malaria.