Serum Activities of Superoxide Dismutase in Diabetic Patients

• Published in: Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition Vol. 6; no. 2; pp. 135 - 146
• Main Authors: INAGAKI, Takao, KAMEI, Yasushi, YAMANOUCHI, Kunio, KATO, Katsumi, SAWAKI, Shunji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Gifu SOCIETY FOR FREE RADICAL RESEARCH JAPAN 1989; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase; diabetes mellitus; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Mn-superoxide dismutase
• ISSN: 0912-0009; 1880-5086
• DOI: 10.3164/jcbn.6.135

For the purpose of investigating the relationship between diabetes mellitus and active oxygen, the serum levels of Cu, Zn-SOD, and Mn-SOD in 93 cases of primary diabetes were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The immunological activity of Cu, Zn-SOD, and Mn-SOD detected by ELISA and the enzymatic activity in the diabetics were significantly high at 61±34ng/ml, 114±95ng/ml, and 2.53±1.87U/ml, respectively, compared with 33±9ng/ml, 84±30ng/ml, and 0.64±0.54U/ml in the healthy controls (p<0.001). In diabetes, Cu, Zn-SOD had more clinical significance than Mn-SOD, and was correlated most significantly with microangiopathy (p<0.001). This correlation was conspicuous particularly in the diabetic nephropathy. Mn-SOD showed high levels in the diabetics complicated with hepatic impairment (p<0.001). Accordingly, serum SOD is considered to reflect prolonged disturbance resulting from a relative or absolute decline of insulin. Moreover, the elevation of serum SOD activity is suggested to have a close relationship with the tissue disturbance due to diabetes.