Turnover of extracellular-superoxide dismutase in tissues.

Abstract

The findings established that EC-SOD C in the tissue interstitium exists almost completely anchored to heparan sulfate proteoglycan via the carboxyterminal heparin-binding domains, and that this binding is the determinant of the long tissue retention of the enzyme. The findings further suggest that reductions in heparin-affinity, e.g., by proteolytic truncation of the highly susceptible heparin-binding domain, may be an important mechanism of elimination of EC-SOD from tissues, both physiologically and as enhanced under pathologic conditions.