[Immunochemical study of Cu-Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu-Zn-SOD) in multiple organ failure of rats]

70 Wistar rats were divided into normal group and experimental group (intra-peritoneal injection of zymosan (75mg per 100g wt). All rats were sacrificed at 1, 2 and 4-5 days. The histological changes in the lung, liver, kidney and brain agreed with the alterations recognized in multiple organ failure. On immuno-histochemical examination, we found that the content of Cu-Zn-SOD in bronchiolar columnar cells, liver cells, renal tubular epithelial cells and neuron cells of brain was decreased as compared with normal control group (P less than 0.05 or P less than 0.01). These phenomena indicated that the utilization of Cu-Zn-SOD was increased due to excessive production of oxygen free radicals in multiple organ failure.