[Effect of superoxide dismutase on serum sickness nephritis]

Antiinflammatory effect of recombinant human Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) was studied in Wistar rats with serum sickness nephritis induced by egg albumin injection. Different dosages of SOD were given intramuscularly in nephritis rats as follows: 0 (group A), 2 (group B), 10 mg/kg/day (group C). Control rats were given 10 mg/kg/day of SOD. On day 52, histopathological examinations of the kidney were performed in all animals. Urinary albumin was 0.35 +/- 0.21, 0.24 +/- 0.14, 0.34 +/- 0.28 and 0.41 +/- 0.21 mg/day in group A, B, C and control, respectively on day 0, and 33.0 +/- 21.5, 1.52 +/- 0.54, 2.55 +/- 1.67 and 0.21 +/- 0.02 mg/day in group A, B, C and control, respectively on day 52. Daily administration of SOD significantly suppressed urinary albumin excretion (A vs B & C, P less than 0.05). Numbers of nucleus per one glomeruli in rats were 119 +/- 3.6, 76.3 +/- 6.7, 71.1 +/- 8 and 65.5 +/- 3.3 in group A, B, C and control, respectively (A vs B & C, p less than 0.01). The glomerular damage in serum sickness nephritis which was potentially induced by free oxygen radicals, would be prevented by the administration of SOD.