Cytokines and Lipid Peroxidation Responses to
Chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection in Pregnant Women
before and after Spiramycin Treatment

¹Afaf, D., Abd El Mageid and 2Abeer, Abd El Aleem.
1Biochemistry Dept. 2Physiology Dept Fac. Vet. Med., Moshtohor, Benha University, Egypt.

Abstract
Background: It is well established that T. gondii infection in pregnant women is highly dangerous, cause abortion and induces a strong cell-mediated immune response.
Aim: The aim of the present study is to investigate whether IL-8, IL-1, leptin, progesterone hormone and MDA concentrations, during early pregnancy in women with chronic T. gondii infection, can be ameliorated by spiramyin treatment or not.
Patients and methods: To carry out this work, firstly T. gondii total IgG and IgM antibodies were determined in sera of 82 pregnant women with previous history of abortion then secondly, IL-8, IL-1, leptin, progesterone hormone and MDA concentrations were determined in sera of 12 chronic T. gondii infected pregnant women before treatment (group1) and 12 chronic T. gondii infected pregnant women after 40 days of treatment with spiramycin (group 2). The same parameters were also estimated in 12 non infected pregnant women at the same period of pregnancy and considered as control healthy group (group 3).
Results: Concentrations of IL-1, leptin and MDA were significantly increased (P < 0.05) in T. gondii infected pregnant women. Such increase was modulated toward normal values in spiramycin treated women. There was no significant difference in the mean value of IL-8 in serum of all groups, while, its concentration in spiramycin treated women was higher than other groups. However, Serum progesterone level of pregnant untreated women showed a significant decrease (P < 0.05) when compared with healthy control group. Such decrease was slightly ameliorated after spiramycin treatment.
Conclusion: Although, spiramycin treatment of pregnant women with chronic T. gondii infection modulated proinflammatory cytokines and lipid peroxidation parameters to be close to their levels in the control group, it failed to increase the serum concentration of progesterone hormone.
Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii, pregnancy, IL-8, IL-1, leptin, progesterone, MDA, spiramycin.