Superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities are increased by enalapril and captopril in mouse liver

Abstract

We have characterized the effect of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors on the activity of CuZn-superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD), Mn-superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD), catalase, and selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (Se-GPx). CF1 mice (4-month-old females) were administered water containing enalapril (20 mg/l) or captopril (50 mg/l), during 4 to 11 weeks. After 11 weeks, enalapril treatment caused an increase in the activity of CuZn-SOD, Mn-SOD and Se-GPx, from 19 +/- 4 to 46 +/- 7, 2.1 +/- 0.2 to 3.8 +/- 0.2 units/mg protein and 27 +/- 3 to 54 +/- 3 milliunits/mg protein, respectively. After 11 weeks, captopril treatment increased the activities (P < 0.05) of CuZn-SOD, MnSOD and Se-GPx to 35 +/- 4, 2.9 +/- 0.2 units/mg protein, and 38 +/- 2 milliunits/mg protein, respectively. Catalase activity was not affected by the treatments. These results suggest that ACE inhibitors may protect cell components from oxidative damage by increasing the enzymatic antioxidant defenses.