Oxidative Stress in Parasitic Infections

A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Outcomes of Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 3476

Special Issue Editors

Department of Medical Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
Interests: reactive oxygen species; oxidative stress; antioxidants; lipid peroxidation; exercise biochemistry; cryostimulation; parasitology; biology of parasites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Medical Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
Interests: reactive oxygen species; oxidative stress; antioxidants; lipid peroxidation; inflammation; postexercise regeneration; parasitology; molecular biology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Medical Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
Interests: reactive oxygen species; oxidative stress; antioxidants; inflammation; postexercise regeneration; parasitology; parasitology diagnostics; microbiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Parasitic diseases have received more and more interest in recent years. They are a common health problem, e.g., people traveling to countries with a hot climate zone. Some of them carry the risk of dangerous complications. Parasitic infections can persist for many months with no or only mild symptoms. Treatment therapies for parasitic diseases are often limited, so there is a strong impetus for developing new treatments. Chemical compounds that modify the redox state may reduce the parasite's viability and thus be potential antiparasitic drugs. On the other hand, oxidative stress caused by the activation of the inflammatory response may have detrimental outcomes in the host cells. Investigating the oxidant–antioxidant pathways may be essential to understanding the cellular mechanisms involved in parasitic infection and opening up the possibility of developing drugs that block some of these processes.

This Special Issue aims to provide insight into the latest research concerning oxidative stress in parasitic infections. Any articles or reviews related to this area are highly welcomed.

Prof. Dr. Alina Woźniak
Prof. Dr. Celestyna Mila-Kierzenkowska
Dr. Marta Pawlowska
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • oxidative stress
  • inflammation
  • antioxidants
  • drugs
  • parasites
  • parasitic infection
  • pathogenic process
  • diagnostics

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Review

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18 pages, 556 KiB  
Review
Oxidative Stress in Parasitic Diseases—Reactive Oxygen Species as Mediators of Interactions between the Host and the Parasites
by Marta Pawłowska, Celestyna Mila-Kierzenkowska, Jan Szczegielniak and Alina Woźniak
Antioxidants 2024, 13(1), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13010038 - 23 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1416
Abstract
Oxidative stress plays a significant role in the development and course of parasitic infections, both in the attacked host organism and the parasite organism struggling to survive. The host uses large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mainly superoxide anion (O2•− [...] Read more.
Oxidative stress plays a significant role in the development and course of parasitic infections, both in the attacked host organism and the parasite organism struggling to survive. The host uses large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mainly superoxide anion (O2•−) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), to fight the developing parasitic disease. On the other hand, the parasite develops the most effective defense mechanisms and resistance to the effects of ROS and strives to survive in the host organism it has colonized, using the resources and living environment available for its development and causing the host’s weakening. The paper reviews the literature on the role of oxidative stress in parasitic diseases, which are the most critical epidemiological problem worldwide. The most common parasitosis in the world is malaria, with 300–500 million new cases and about 1 million deaths reported annually. In Europe and Poland, the essential problem is intestinal parasites. Due to a parasitic infection, the concentration of antioxidants in the host decreases, and the concentration of products of cellular components oxidation increases. In response to the increased number of reactive oxygen species attacking it, the parasites have developed effective defense mechanisms, including primarily the action of antioxidant enzymes, especially superoxide dismutase and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate hydrogen (NADPH)-dependent complexes glutathione and thioredoxin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oxidative Stress in Parasitic Infections)
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15 pages, 6828 KiB  
Systematic Review
The Association between Malaria and β-Carotene Levels: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Kwuntida Uthaisar Kotepui, Aongart Mahittikorn, Polrat Wilairatana, Frederick Ramirez Masangkay and Manas Kotepui
Antioxidants 2023, 12(9), 1687; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox12091687 - 29 Aug 2023
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Abstract
Background: β-Carotene, which is a prominent carotenoid with notable antioxidant properties, may play a role in countering the oxidative stresses induced by malaria. The association between β-carotene levels and malaria is not yet fully understood, prompting this systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: A [...] Read more.
Background: β-Carotene, which is a prominent carotenoid with notable antioxidant properties, may play a role in countering the oxidative stresses induced by malaria. The association between β-carotene levels and malaria is not yet fully understood, prompting this systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: A rigorous search of databases, including Nursing and Allied Health Premium, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Ovid, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, was undertaken to collate studies that focused on β-carotene levels in malaria patients. The selected studies underwent critical appraisal, followed by data extraction for a meta-analysis. Results: Of the 2498 records initially identified, 10 were deemed suitable for synthesis. A considerable number of these studies indicated a pronounced reduction in β-carotene levels among malaria patients in contrast with uninfected individuals. The meta-analysis, encompassing 421 malaria patients and 240 uninfected controls, revealed a significant correlation between reduced β-carotene levels and malaria (p < 0.01, Hedges’s g: −1.26, 95% CI: −2.00–(−0.53), I2: 93.86%, seven studies). Conclusions: The conducted systematic review and meta-analysis corroborated the correlation between lower β-carotene levels and malaria. The intricate relationship between malaria and β-carotene merits deeper exploration. A comprehensive understanding of this association might pave the way for innovative therapeutic approaches leveraging the antioxidant attributes of β-carotene to combat malaria-induced oxidative stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oxidative Stress in Parasitic Infections)
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16 pages, 2396 KiB  
Systematic Review
Increased Blood Concentrations of Malondialdehyde in Plasmodium Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Onchuma Mueangson, Aongart Mahittikorn, Nsoh Godwin Anabire, Wanida Mala and Manas Kotepui
Antioxidants 2023, 12(8), 1502; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox12081502 - 27 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 864
Abstract
Several studies have evaluated the relationship between malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations and Plasmodium infections; however, the findings remain inconclusive. This study synthesized differences in MDA concentrations among patients with different levels of clinical severity, uninfected controls, and different Plasmodium species. The research protocol was [...] Read more.
Several studies have evaluated the relationship between malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations and Plasmodium infections; however, the findings remain inconclusive. This study synthesized differences in MDA concentrations among patients with different levels of clinical severity, uninfected controls, and different Plasmodium species. The research protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023393540). Systematic literature searches for relevant studies were performed using the Embase, MEDLINE, Ovid, ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. Qualitative and quantitative syntheses (meta-analyses) of distinct MDA concentrations between the disease groups were performed. Twenty-three studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review. Overall, MDA concentrations were significantly elevated in participants with malaria relative to uninfected controls (p < 0.01, Cohen d: 2.51, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.88–3.14, I2: 96.22%, 14 studies). Increased MDA concentrations in participants with malaria compared with uninfected controls were found in studies that enrolled patients with P. falciparum malaria (p < 0.01, Cohen d: 2.50, 95% CI: 1.90–3.10, I2: 89.7%, 7 studies) and P. vivax malaria (p < 0.01, Cohen d: 3.70, 95% CI: 2.48–4.92, I2: 90.11%, 3 studies). Our findings confirm that MDA concentrations increase during Plasmodium infection, indicating a rise in oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. Thus, MDA levels can be a valuable biomarker for evaluating these processes in individuals with malaria. However, further research is necessary to fully elucidate the intricate relationship between malaria, antioxidants, oxidative stress, and the specific role of MDA in the progression of malaria. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oxidative Stress in Parasitic Infections)
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