Changes of superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in C3H mice of normal and hypocatalasemic substrains after 60Co gamma-ray

We have examined the changes of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities in normal (C3H/HeN; C3H) and hypocatalasemic (C3H/Csb; Csb) mice following exposure to 8 Gy of 60Co gamma-ray. SOD activity was measured in liver, RBC and plasma 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 24 and 48 hours after exposure. Catalase activity was measured both in liver and whole blood 0, 24 and 48 hours after irradiation. In non-irradiated controls, catalase activity of C3H vs. Csb was 15.3 times in whole blood and 2.4 times in liver, and SOD activity was significantly higher both in liver and RBC in Csb compared to those of respective activities in C3H mice. After gamma-irradiation, catalase activity of whole blood in both C3H and Csb did not change, but it was greatly diminished in liver less than 44% in both C3H and Csb. SOD activity was slightly diminished in liver, RBC and plasma in Csb and RBC and plasma in C3H. (author)