Effect of abscisic acid on active oxygen species, antioxidative defence system and oxidative damage in leaves of maize seedlings

Leaves of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings were supplied with different concen trations of abscisic acid (ABA). Its effects on the levels of superoxide ra dical (O-2(-)), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and the content of catalytic Fe, t he activities of several antioxidative enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductas e (GR), the contents of several non-enzymatic antioxidants such as ascorbat e (ASC, reduced glutathione (GSH), alpha -tocopherol (alpha -TOC) and carot enoid (CAR), and the degrees of the oxidative damage to the membrane lipids and proteins were examined. Treatment with 10 and 100 muM ABA significantl y increased the levels of O-2(-) and H2O2, followed by an increase in activ ities of SOD, CAT, APX and GR, and the contents of ASC, H, alpha -TOC and C AR in a dose- and time-dependent pattern in leaves of maize seedlings. An o xidative damage expressed as lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, and pla sma membrane leakage did not occur except for a slight increase with 100 mu M ABA treatment for 24 h. Treatment with 1,000 muM ABA led to a more abunda nt generation of O(2)and H2O2 and a significant increase in the content of catalytic Fe, which is critical for H2O2-dependent hydroxyl radical product ion. The activities of these antioxidative enzymes and the contents of alph a -TOC and CAR were still maintained at a higher level, but no longer furth er enhanced when compared with the treatment of 100 muM ABA. The contents o f ASC and GSH had no changes in leaves treated with 1,000 muM ABA. These re sults indicate that treatment with low concentrations of ABA (10 to 100 muM ) induced an antioxidative defence response against oxidative damage, but a high concentration of ABA (1,000 muM) induced an excessive generation of A OS and led to an oxidative damage in plant cells.