title: Antioxidant enzyme gene transcription in copper-deficient rat liver.
abstract: Antioxidant enzymes, Cu/Zn- and Mn-superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, constitute an important defense mechanism against cytotoxicity of reactive oxygen species. Copper is essential for the activity of Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase. Oxidative stress, therefore, is expected in organs of rats fed copper-deficient diet due to reduced Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase activity. Our previous studies have shown that the expression of antioxidant enzymes was altered in copper-deficient rat liver. The present report was undertaken to study further the transcription of these enzymes in liver nuclei of rats made copper-deficient for 4 weeks. While copper deficiency decreased the copper in liver by about 80%, it did not alter the copper content in liver nuclei. In spite of a 100% elevation in nuclear iron concentration, liver nuclei from copper-deficient rats showed normal appearance. The transcriptional rates for Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase were not altered by dietary copper deprivation. In contrast, transcriptional rates for Mn-superoxide dismutase and beta-actin were increased but that for catalase was reduced in the nuclei isolated from the copper-deficient rat liver. These results suggest that oxidative stress, resulting from copper deficiency, differentially modulates the gene transcription for the antioxidant enzymes in rat liver.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo 43699-0008, USA.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Klevay
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Gunning
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002374:Catalase / Q000235:genetics*; D003300:Copper / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000235:genetics*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase