Glutathione-S-transferase activity in mouse muscle during experimental trichinellosis

The role of glutathione-S-transferase (GST, EC 2.5.1.18) in biochemical host defence in experimental trichinellosis was evaluated. The activity of GST in mouse skeletal muscles was measured during the muscular phase of trichinellosis, starting from the 3rd week post infection (w.p.i.) to the 11th w.p.i. Activity was determined spectrophotometrically by monitoring the formation of thioether (S-2,4-dinitrophenylglutathione) from the reduced form of glutathione and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene used as a substrate and as an example of xenobiotics. The changes in the activity of GST were as follows: an increase in activity starts in the 4th w.p.i., peaks (up to 310% of the normal value) in the 6th w.p.i., decreases in the 8th week and a final, weak rise was observed in week 11. The statistically significant changes in GST activity in this phase of experimental trichinellosis suggest that this enzyme participates in the biochemical defence of the host against Trichinella infection.