Age dependence of the level of the enzymes involved in the protection against active oxygen species in the rat brain

Levels of Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (CuSOD), Mn superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were assessed in the rat brain cortex. The concentrations of Cu- and MnSOD were found to increase linearly with the logarithm of the age of the animal from 3 days before birth to 30 months, both in the whole cortex tissue and in its cytoplasmic fraction. Catalase and GPx levels showed different trends; in particular, GPx, which appears to play a key role in detoxification of hydrogen peroxide, after an initial fall increases steadily with age. The enhancement of the levels of SOD and GPx could be related to protection against an increased production of reactive oxygen species in the aging process.