Differential regulation of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase and manganese superoxide dismutase in the rat corpus luteum: induction of manganese superoxide dismutase messenger ribonucleic acid by inflammatory cytokines.

This study was undertaken to investigate the regulation of mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) and cytosolic copper-zinc SOD (Cu,Zn-SOD) in the corpus luteum by inflammatory cytokines. We first examined the developmental expression of both SOD mRNAs in the rat corpus luteum throughout pregnancy. SOD mRNA levels were determined by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Whereas Cu,Zn-SOD mRNA levels decreased during late pregnancy, Mn-SOD mRNA levels remained elevated. We secondly examined the effects of inflammatory reaction on luteal SODs. Rats received injections of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 5 mg, i.p.) on Day 15 of pregnancy, and corpora lutea were removed 2 h later. LPS caused an increase in Mn-SOD mRNA levels in the corpus luteum and a decrease in serum progesterone levels, but neither in levels of Cu,Zn-SOD mRNA. To further study the effects of LPS or LPS-induced cytokines, we incubated either whole corpora lutea obtained on Day 15 of pregnancy or a temperature-sensitive simian virus-40 transformed luteal cell line (GG-CL; derived from large luteal cells of the corpus luteum of pregnant rats) in serum-free medium with LPS, interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha), IL-beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha. LPS and these cytokines induced a remarkable increase in Mn-SOD mRNA levels in both corpora lutea and GG-CL cells but had no effect on Cu,Zn-SOD mRNA expression. In conclusion, Cu,Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD mRNAs are differently expressed and regulated in the corpus luteum of pregnancy. Mn-SOD mRNA, but not Cu,Zn-SOD mRNA, is highly induced by inflammatory cytokines and may play an important role in protecting luteal cells from inflammation-mediated oxidative damage.