title: Met-enkephalin modulation of age-related changes in red cell antioxidant status.
abstract: Opioid peptides have been recognized as modulators of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mouse macrophages and human neutrophils. Since the effect cannot be ascribed to its direct scavenger properties, in this study, we tested the hypothesis that methionine-enkephalin (MENK) modulates ROS by alteration of antioxidant enzyme activity (AOE). For this purpose superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) are measured in red blood cells of 1, 4, 10, and 18-month-old CBA mice of both sexes injected with 10 mg/kg MENK. The results indicate that MENK-affected antioxidant enzyme activity of red blood cells is age- but not sex-related. The most abundant effects were observed at the reproductive stage. Increased sensitivity to oxidative stress by opioid peptides was in both sexes mainly due to increased SOD activity followed by GPX decrease. Thus, the damage ascribed to opioid peptides might be, at least partly, ascribed to deleterious effects of accumulated hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Medicine, Rudjer Bosković Institute, Bijenicka 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sobocanec
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Balog
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sverko
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marotti
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase