Investigations on the Influence of Copper Succinate on the Production of Superoxide Anion Radicals by Bovine Small Intestinal Mucosa Cells*

Abstract

The effect of an experimental ischemia lasting for 45 minutes and a subsequent period of reperfusion of equal length on the activity of xanthine oxidase (XO) and microsomal NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (NADPH-CR) were investigated in the small intestinal mucosa of male neonatal calves of the breed German "Schwarzbunte". The activity of the NADPH-CR was determined by chemiluminescence. The activity of XO decreased during ischemia, but rose to values above the control level following reperfusion. 5 mg of Cu2(succinate)2 (CuSu) administered either intraarterially or intraluminally during reperfusion prevented the rise in XO. Formation of malondialdehyde decreased in the presence of CuSu. The NADPH-CR likewise showed subnormal activity values during ischemia, but also remained at a low level during reperfusion. The activity of this enzyme was further lowered by local intraarterial or intraluminal administration of 5 mg of CuSu and by 120 mg of CuSu administered intravenously during the reperfusion. These results are discussed with regard to the superoxide anion radical induced tissue lesions observed during reperfusion.