Organ Toxicity and Mechanisms

The present study provides a direct experimental evidence that the combination of influenza A/ Aichi/2/68 (H3N2) infection with different models of ‘‘oxidative stress’’, such as immobilization, cold and cold-restraint, is associated with graduated oxidative disturbances in the liver of mice, despite the absence of virus and inflammation in this tissue. It was found that experimental influenza virus infection is accompanied with a significant increase of lipid peroxidation products, a decrease of natural antioxidants (vitamin E, glutathione) and cytochrome P-450, an inhibition of cytochrome c reductase and liver monooxygenases (analgin-Ndemethylase and amidopyrine-N-demethylase). Immobilization and cold stress, applied separately or in combination (cold-restraint), did not influence significantly any of the analysed parameters compared to those of the control group of non-infected mice. Preliminary exposure of mice to immobilization or cold stress and subsequent inoculation of influenza virus resulted in a significant increase of lipid peroxidation products and a significant decrease of vitamin E and reduced glutathione, compared with levels in control (non-infected) animals. Compared to influenza virus-infected and nonstressed animals, the changes in all these parameters were negligible. Immobilization or cold stress, applied in combination with influenza virus infection, partially prevented the suppressive effect of influenza virus on cytochrome P-450 and liver monooxygenases. A tendency towards normalization of these parameters to the control levels was observed. However, after application of cold-restraint plus influenza virus infection, the level of cytochrome P-450 and activity of cytochrome c reductase stayed markedly lower than in infected and non-stressed animals. The activities of liver monooxygenases were slightly increased compared with those of infected and non-stressed animals, but stayed relatively low compared to control (non-infected) mice. Combination of coldrestraint and influenza virus infection resulted in a greater synergistic increase of lipid peroxidation products and a greater synergistic decrease of vitamin E and reduced glutathione compared to controls, as well as to influenza virus-infected and non-stressed animals.