title: Antioxidant systems in rat lens as a function of age: effect of chronic administration of vitamin E and ascorbate.
abstract: Oxidative damage occurring in the lenses of patients with senile cataract may be due to partially reduced forms of oxygen. We assayed the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase (GSH-Red), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) in rat lenses at different ages (1, 4, and 24 months), and also evaluated lens glutathione (GSH) levels and the effects of chronic administration of vitamin E and sodium ascorbate. We observed a significant age-related decrease in GSH-Px, GSH-Red and G6PD activities, but no age-related change in SOD activity. Chronic treatment with both vitamin E and sodium ascorbate failed to restore enzymatic activities to the levels of younger rats. An age-related reduction in GSH content was also observed; however, chronic administration of vitamin E, but not of sodium ascorbate, restored GSH levels to those of younger rats.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Campisi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Giacomo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sorrenti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vanella
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Acquaviva
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li Volti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vanella
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014810:Vitamin E; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase; D001205:Ascorbic Acid