Differential regulation of CuZnSOD expression in rat brain by acute and/or chronic stress

Neuroendocrine stress (NES) causes increase of glucocorticoids and alters physiological levels of reactive oxygen species production in cells, which might involve modifications in the antioxidant defense system. We investigated the hypothesis that acute, chronic, or combined stress alters copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) expression pattern at both, mRNA and subcellular protein level in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of rats and that there may be a relationship between stress-induced corticosterone and CuZnSOD expression. The most effective stress model which led to the most pronounced changes in CuZnSOD expression patterns was also investigated. Our results demonstrated that acute stress immobilization up-regulates mRNA expression of hippocampal CuZnSOD, while cytosolic protein expression of this enzyme was increased in both brain structures. Chronic stress isolation had no effect on either mRNA and protein expression level and caused a lack of significant up-regulation to a novel acute stressors. The presence of this protein in nuclear fractions of both brain structures was also confirmed. The elevated cytosolic CuZnSOD protein levels following acute immobilization might reflect on the defense system against oxidative stress. Chronic isolation compromises CuZnSOD protein expression, which may lead to the inefficient defense against reactive oxygen species (ROS). The stress-triggered CuZnSOD protein expression was not correlated by the corresponding mRNA. The results suggest that different stress models exert a different degree of influence on mRNA and protein level of CuZnSOD in both brain structures as well as serum corticosterone.