Activity of Antioxidant Defense Enzymes and Glutathione Content in Some Tissues of the Belgrade (b/b) Laboratory Rat

Abstract

The activity of antioxidant defense (AD) enzymes—superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1.), catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6.), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px, EC 1.11.1.9.), glutathione-S-transferase (GST, EC 2.5.1.18), glutathione reductase (GR, EC 1.6.4.2) and glutathione (GSH) content of the anemic Belgrade (b/b) laboratory rats—were measured and analyzed in liver, spleen, lung, heart, brain and testes in comparison with nonanemic controls. The activities of hepatic Mn SOD, CAT, GSH-Px and GST ( P < 0.02, P < 0.01 and P < 0.005) were decreased in anemic, comparing with nonanemic animals, whereas the spleen CuZn SOD, Mn SOD, CAT and GSH-Px ( P < 0.005, P < 0.02, P < 0.005 and P < 0.01) activities were increased. In the lung of anemic rats, Mn SOD, GSH-Px and GR ( P < 0.005, P < 0.01, P < 0.05) activities were higher, whereas GST ( P < 0.01) activity was lower in relation to nonanemic ones. In anemic rats, heart Mn SOD ( P < 0.05) activity was increased, brain GSH-Px ( P < 0.005) activity was lower, whereas GR ( P < 0.02) activity was higher compared with nonanemic controls. CuZn SOD ( P < 0.05) activity in the testes was elevated and GSH-Px ( P < 0.05) reduced in anemic animals. GSH content was decreased in the liver ( P < 0.01), lung and brain ( P < 0.005) and increased in the spleen ( P < 0.02) of anemic rats in relation to the controls. Our data suggest phenotype specific differences in the AD system of the Belgrade (b/b) rat tissues in comparison with nonanemic controls.