Postnatal development of enzyme activities associated with protection against oxidative stress in the mouse

A number of enzyme systems are important in the protection of cells from chemical-induced oxidative damage. Little is known of the relative importance of these enzymes during postnatal development and its is possible that changes in their activity during this period may alter the susceptibility to toxic agents. This study investigated the activities of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, gamma-glutamyl-cysteine synthetase and glutathione synthetase in the liver, lung and kidney of postnatal and adult mice. The first 3 postnatal weeks are characterized by marked changes in the activities of enzymes that protect against oxidative stress (glutathione peroxidase/reductase, catalase and superoxide dismutase). Overall, the activity of these enzymes suggests that the mouse has a higher level of protection against peroxides at various stages during this period but lower capacity to detoxify superoxide anions. The activities of the glutathione-synthetic enzymes (gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase and glutathione synthetase) were significantly lower in the kidney of the postnatal mice, but the liver and lung had levels similar to those in the adult. Glutathione turnover in the liver of 2-week-old mice was not different from that in adults. The results indicate a complex pattern of development in the activities of detoxification enzyme systems during postnatal development.