Superoxide dismutase activity levels in a Spanish population 50-93 years

Reports dealing with the free radical theory of aging have focused on the p ossibility that aging may be accelerated in elderly individuals due to lowe ring of antioxidant defenses. Accordingly, free radical processes involving oxygen continously damage cells and tissues in the body, leading to degene ration and aging. Scavenging enzymes represent one of the several natural d efense mechanisms against free radical-induced damage. These enzymes includ e superoxide dismutase. To investigate the role of this enzyme in aging, it s activity was measured in 126 individuals 50-93 years of age. Cu/Zn supero xide dismutase.(SOD1) was measured in red blood cells using the Minami and Yoshikawa method. The results were compared with those observed in a popula tion between 18 and 65 years of age. SOD1 activity in males remains constan t or slightly decreases with age, whereas in females SOD1 activity shows a significant increase in individuals between 68 and 93 years. (C) 1999 Wiley -Liss, Inc.