SUPEROXIDE-DISMUTASE ACTIVITIES IN DIFFERENT TISSUES OF FEMALE RATS TREATED WITH OLIVE OIL

The activities of cytosol superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) and mitochond rial superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) were measured in subcellular fractio ns of homogenates prepared from the brain, thymus and liver of ovariec tomized (OVX) female rats, non-treated or treated 24 h prior to sacrif ice with a single s.c. dose of 0.1 mi olive oil. In the brain, neither MnSOD nor CuZnSOD were affected by olive oil, whereas in the thymus t he olive oil injection elevated CuZnSOD and did not affect MnSOD activ ity. At the same time, the activity of CuZnSOD was reduced and that of MnSOD was elevated in the liver following oil treatment. These result s suggest that olive oil has modulatory effects on the expression of C uZnSOD and MnSOD activity in the liver and of CuZnSOD in the thymus of female rats.