Neonatal developmental pattern of superoxide dismutase and aniline hydroxylase in rat lung

The developmental biology of superoxide dismutase and aniline hydroxylase was followed in rat lungs from prenatal stage to 3 months old. Total superoxide dismutase activity as determined by spectrophotometry as well as electrophoresis was high in the prenatal rat lung, decreased in the first 24 hr postpartum, increased within 7 days, and then decreased gradually to adult levels. On polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis only two isozymic forms of superoxide dismutase were located as achromatic zones in the fetal lung. In the adult rat lung, there were three molecular forms of superoxide dismutase, two in the postmitochondrial supernatant and one in the mitochondrial fraction. Unlike superoxide dismutase, aniline hydroxylase was detectable only after 5 days of age and the activity exhibited a gradual increase afterward up to 1 month of age. The developmental pattern of superoxide dismutase and aniline hydroxylase activities in lung may be significant in understanding the mechanism of body defenses and their regulatory modulations in response to toxic air pollutants and environmental stress.