Decreased Superoxide Dismutase Activity and Increased Superoxide Anion Production in Cardiac Hypertrophy of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Abstract

In order to investigate SHR hypertrophied heart myocardial vulnerability, superoxide dismutase, a potent scavenger of superoxide anion, was examined in myocardium of SHR and WKY in relation to aging, as well as under doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiomyopathy. Superoxide anion production due to doxorubicin administration was also examined histochemically. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), either as Mn-SOD in mitochondria or as CuZn-SOD in cytoplasm, was found to be lower in aged SHR hypertrophied heart than in age-matched WKY heart. Under DOX-induced cardiomyopathy, SOD activity was significantly lower in SHR hypertrophied heart than either control SHR or treated WKY myocardium. Superoxide anion generation, examined morphologically as formazan deposits, was much more intense in SHR myocardium and some degenerative changes were found such formazan-containing cells. These results clearly indicate that the myocardial vulnerability of SHR hypertrophied heart might be a result of a lowered free radical scavenge ability.