Liver superoxide dismutases after copper deficiency and/or indomethacin treatment of rats.

Copper deficiency in rats resulted in a decrease of liver cytosolic and lysosomal CuZnSOD activity (by 71% and by 55%, respectively) and in an increase of mitochondrial MnSOD (by 185%). The content of copper and zinc decreased by 64% and 38%, respectively, and that of manganese increased by 47%. Cytosolic CuZnSOD activity, both in control and copper-deficient rats, increased (by 71.5 units/mg protein and by 83.0 units/mg protein, respectively) after indomethacin treatment. Rat liver contained four CuZnSOD (cytosolic and lysosomal) and one MnSOD isoenzyme. Neither copper deficiency nor indomethacin treatment changed the position and the number of bands. The CuZnSOD-band with pI approximately 5.7 was greatly decreased by copper deficiency and was not restored to normal after indomethacin treatment.