[Immunocytochemical study of CuZn superoxide dismutase in the myocardium of normal subjects and patients of rheumatic heart disease].

Using the methods of immunocytochemistry and immune electron microscopy, we studied the subcellular localization of GuZn superoxide dismutase (CuZn SOD) in the myocardium of 8 normal subjects and the changes of CuZn SOD of the myocardium in 51 patients of rheumatic heart disease, and at same time, we also determined the CuZn SOD contents in the myocardium with radioimmunoassay. This study demonstrated that most normal myocardial cells contained CuZn SOD. The ventricular myocardial cells stained somewhat stronger than the atrial myocardial cells. CuZn SOD was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm and the nucleus, less in mitochondria, a little in lysosomes and almost no gold particle was seen on the membranous structures of sarcoplasmic reticula and Golgi's complex. The positive level of CuZn SOD in rheumatic myocardium had remarkable correlation with myocardial fibrosis and arteriopathy and the recovery of the heart functions after valve replacement. The changes of CuZn SOD in various organelles in the myocardium of patients with rheumatic heart disease may be possibly related to the injuries of their membranous structure.