Biochemical Profile, Liver and Kidney Selenium (Se) Status during Acanthamoebiasis in a Mouse Model

The aim of the present study was to determine biochemical parameters and Se concentrations in the main detoxication organs in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed mice infected by Acanthamoeba sp. at the early stage of infection. The mice were divided into 4 groups: immunocompetent non-infected control (C), immunocompetent infected (A), immunosuppressed infected (AS), and immunosuppressed non-infected (CS) mice. Biochemical parameters in serum were determined using an automated clinical chemistry analyzer, ARCHITECT C8000, while selenium concentration in the liver and kidney were determined by spectrofluorimetry. We observed a significant downregulation in chlorine plasma level in the blood of A vs CS groups. We found a significantly higher serum AST level in the A group than in group C. The Acanthamoeba sp. infection did not influence liver Se in immunocompetent mice but significantly increased liver Se levels in mice with compromised immunity. Kidney Se concentration was significantly higher in group AS compared to A. We observed a novel strong relation between Se hepatic concentration and liver enzymes in the AS group (aspartate aminotransferase, AST and alanine aminotransferase, ALT). Moreover, Se liver concentration correlated with plasma AST in group A. Immunological status affected Se levels in the liver and kidney of mice infected by Acanthamoeba sp. This parasite influenced the activity of serum AST regardless of the host's immunological status. Furthermore, elevated concentrations of hepatic Se were associated with increased levels of plasma ALT and AST.