Immunohistochemical localization of antioxidant enzymes during hamster kidney development

Immunolocalization studies of hamster kidney development were performed using polyclonal antibodies to antioxidant enzymes, including antibodies to copper, zinc and manganese superoxide dismutases, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferases and their subunits. Antibodies to extracellular matrix proteins were also studied to determine the temporal sequence between expression of immunoreactive protein for basement membrane proteins, which serve as markers of embryonic induction of nephron development, and antioxidant enzyme expression in kidney development. Immunoreactive proteins for antioxidant enzymes were not detectable in the developing kidney until after extracellular matrix proteins had been deposited. However, immunoreactive proteins for the antioxidant enzymes copper, zinc and manganese superoxide dismutases, catalase, and alpha class glutathione S-transferase Ya subunit were detected in renal tubules before birth. mu class glutathione S-transferase subunits Yb1 and Yb2 stained transitional epithelium at high levels before birth. Our results indicate: (1) each type of kidney cell has a unique antioxidant enzyme profile, (2) antioxidant enzymes are expressed in different types of cell at different times during development, but antioxidant enzyme immunoreactive protein was not present until after immunoreactive proteins for extracellular matrix molecules were detected, and (3) certain antioxidant enzymes are present before birth, indicating that high oxygen tension present at birth is not crucial for induction of immunoreactive protein.