Lung CuZn-superoxide dismutase and catalase gene expression in premature rabbits treated intratracheally with antioxidant-surfactant liposomes.

Tolerance to hyperoxia usually depends on an increase in lung antioxidant enzyme activity. Antioxidant-surfactant liposomes, encapsulating the antioxidant enzymes CuZn-superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) and catalase in synthetic surfactant lipids, increase lung antioxidant activity following intratracheal instillation in premature and term rabbits. We investigated whether the exogenous antioxidant enzymes encapsulated in these liposomes inhibit the endogenous antioxidant enzyme synthesis in the premature rabbit lung. Premature rabbits, delivered at 28 days of gestation, were treated intratracheally with antioxidant-surfactant liposomes, surfactant liposomes without antioxidant enzymes, or air placebo at birth and exposed to hyperoxia for 24 h. A comparison group was killed after breathing room air at birth. The right lungs of the pups were assayed for CuZnSOD and catalase activities and DNA content, the left lungs of the same pups were used to quantitate the concentrations of CuZnSOD and catalase mRNA using cRNA probes. Lung CuZnSOD and catalase mRNA quantities increased during exposure to hyperoxia, but were not affected by exogenous antioxidant enzymes. These data suggest that intratracheal instillation of CuZnSOD and catalase does not down-regulate mRNA transcription of these antioxidant enzymes in the premature rabbit lung.