Xanthine oxidase during human fetal development.

Through oxygen free-radical production, xanthine oxidase (XOD, E.C.1.2.3.2) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of postischemic and hyperoxic tissue injuries among newborn. We measured the activity and evaluated the kinetic characteristics of XOD in human fetal liver, intestine, brain, and myocardium. Both the fetal liver and intestine contain a high XOD activity through gestation. The activity increases in the liver and decreases in the intestine with advancing gestation. The apparent Km for hypoxanthine is 4.8-5.5 microM in the intestine throughout gestation and in the liver at term but higher than 30 microM in the liver during the first half of pregnancy. The activity is undetectable both in the fetal brain and myocardium throughout gestation. Thus, XOD activity is present at least in the liver and intestine to account for the oxidation of hypoxanthine and xanthine. However, direct evidence for adenine nucleotide catabolism, followed by oxidation of the accumulated hypoxanthine during tissue reoxygenation in the human liver or intestine is not available.