title: Maturation of antioxidant enzymes in rat small intestine: lack of glucocorticoid stimulation.
abstract: We report in detail the ontogeny and the response of antioxidant enzymes to glucocorticoids in the rat small intestine. Pregnant rats in the treatment group received four injections of dexamethasone starting on days 18, 19, or 20 of gestation; fetuses were killed 2 days later. Control rats were injected with 0.9% saline solution. Postnatal rats reaching 14, 19, and 104 days of age received four injections of hydrocortisone and were killed 2 days later. Age-matched controls were injected with 0.9% saline solution. The activities of xanthine oxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase were measured in small intestines from fetal (20 and 21 days gestation), newborn, and older (aged 16, 21, and 106 days) rats. Xanthine oxidase rose with maturation; the major increase occurred on postnatal day 21. Catalase and superoxide dismutase rose minimally during intrauterine life. On day 16 postpartum, catalase and superoxide dismutase values were 160% and 60%, respectively, higher than at birth. Glucocorticoid administration stimulated maltase and sucrase activities, but had no effect on the antioxidant enzymes or xanthine oxidase.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012306:Risk; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism*; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase; D006854:Hydrocortisone