Dynamic aspects of ovarian superoxide dismutase isozymes during the ovulatory process in the rat.

To investigate the role of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the ovulatory process, SOD isozymes and their mRNAs were determined in the ovary of 22-day-old rats. After treatment with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), ovarian activity of Mn-SOD decreased markedly while Cu/Zn-SOD remained unchanged. However, the ovarian level of mRNA for Mn-SOD markedly increased after hCG-treatment while that for Cu/Zn-SOD decreased only slightly. Ovulation was inhibited by intravenous injection of a long-acting SOD. These results suggested that superoxide radicals in the ovary might play a critical role in the mechanism for hCG-induced ovulation.