Differential Development of Antioxidant Enzymes in Liver of Female and Castrated and Non-Castrated Male Rats

Females are postulated to have a higher antioxidant capacity than males, this increase thereby allowing them to live longer than males. To determine whether this heightened capacity can be attributed to the difference in tissue levels of antioxidant enzymes, we investigated age-and sex-related diffe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition 1990, Vol.9(2), pp.87-92
Main Authors: ASAYAMA, Kohtaro, HAYASHIBE, Hidemasa, DOBASHI, Kazushige, KATO, Kiyohiko
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
free radicals
glutathione peroxidase
pubertal development
sex hormones
superoxide dismutase
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Summary:Females are postulated to have a higher antioxidant capacity than males, this increase thereby allowing them to live longer than males. To determine whether this heightened capacity can be attributed to the difference in tissue levels of antioxidant enzymes, we investigated age-and sex-related differences in four antioxidant enzymes in developing rat livers. Female and non-castrated and castrated male rats, ages ranging from 3 to 10 weeks, were studied. Both copper zinc (CuZn) and manganese (Mn) superoxide dismutases (SOD) were assayed by specific radioimmunoassays. Body weight and liver weight were larger in non-castrated males than in females. Glutathione peroxidase activity was higher in females than in males even at 3 weeks of age, and the difference became more evident as the rats grew older. Conversely, catalase activity was higher in males than in females. The values of body weight, liver weight, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase in castrated males were between those of non-castrated males and females, suggesting a significant contribution of endogenous sex hormones to these changes. CuZnSOD increased during maturation in both sexes, while MnSOD did not. There was no significant sex-related difference in SODs. Possible physiological consequence of the relative richness of glutathione peroxidase in females was discussed.
ISSN:0912-0009
1880-5086
DOI:10.3164/jcbn.9.87