Bone marrow nitric oxide production and development of anemia in Trypanosoma brucei-infected mice

Mice infected with Trypanosoma brucei rapidly develop anemia, with the number of circulating erythrocytes reduced by 50% within a week after infection. The present study investigated the relationship between anemia and bone marrow nitric oxide (NO) production. Bone marrow cell populations from T. brucei-infected mice exhibited elevated levels of NO synthase activity which was inhibitable by NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester. NO production was found to coincide with suppressed bone marrow T-cell proliferation in response to stimulation with the mitogen concanavalin A both in vitro and in vivo. As this indicated that NO may inhibit proliferation in other cell types, particularly hemopoietic precursors, we examined the role of NO in anemia during trypanosome infection. NO production correlated directly with the development of anemia, and treatment of infected mice with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester in vivo to systemically inhibit NO synthesis led to a significant reduction in the anemia. Thus, elevated NO production in the bone marrow of T. brucei-infected mice is likely to play a significant role in the anemia resulting from T. brucei infection.