Tissue distribution of 125I-labelled bovine superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the rat.

Bovine copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD) was labelled with 125I using the chloramine-T method. The tissue distribution of 125I-SOD (dose of SOD 5 mg/kg) was studied with whole-body and microautoradiography at various times after an intravenous injection. The distribution of 125I-SOD showed a remarkable organ specificity in that the localization of the enzyme to the kidneys and the urinary tract completely dominated the autoradiograms. The time pattern of localization of 125I-SOD also gives a clear picture of the renal handling of the enzyme in that, as a consequence of the renal elimination, the enzyme rapidly disappears from the circulation with an elimination half time of about 6 min. Up to 20 min. after the injection, there were high concentrations of 125I-SOD in the renal pelvis, ureter and urinary bladder showing that in addition to renal uptake there was an initial substantial urinary excretion of the enzyme. From the microautoradiography it is clear that the grains were exclusively localized over proximal tubular cells and tended to be concentrated at the luminal rather than the peritubular side of tubule. This would be compatible with renal uptake secondary to glomerular filtration of 125I-SOD, which is what one would expect from the renal handling of a protein with a molecular weight around 31,000 and an isoelectric point around pH 5.4. Pretreatment with a large dose of SOD (88 mg/kg) tended to competitively decrease the renal uptake of labelled SOD after 5 min. and apparently further increase its renal excretion. However, a noticeable renal uptake of 125I-SOD was still apparent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)