Developmental biology of oxidant-producing enzymes and antioxidants in the piglet intestine.

The pathogenesis of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis is unknown, but a possible role for reactive oxygen metabolites has been postulated. We evaluated whether developmental differences exist in the levels of 1) the free radical-generating enzyme xanthine oxidase, 2) granulocyte peroxidase, an index of the resident granulocyte population, 3) free radical-scavenging enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase), and 4) reduced glutathione, an endogenous antioxidant, in the ileal and colonic mucosa of 1-d-old, 3-d-old, 2-wk-old, and 1-mo-old piglets. We found no xanthine dehydrogenase/oxidase activity in 1-d to 1-mo-old piglets. Mucosal granulocyte peroxidase activity was higher in older animals, indicating that there was an age-dependent infiltration of granulocytes (eosinophils, neutrophils) in the distal bowel. The peroxidase activity per circulating granulocyte, however, did not vary with age. Superoxide dismutase activity was significantly higher in 1-d-old piglets than in all older age groups; glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly lower in 1-d-old animals than that of older age groups. There was no detectable catalase activity in the mucosa when tissue was corrected for catalase activity of blood. Finally, ileal GSH levels were significantly lower in 1-d-old than in 2-wk-old and 1-mo-old animals, whereas colonic reduced glutathione activity did not differ among age groups. In conclusion, the distal bowel of the neonatal piglet appears to have a limited capacity to generate oxidants via xanthine oxidase and resident granulocytes. However, the neonatal piglet intestine has a lower capacity to detoxify hydrogen peroxide than that of older animals.