LIDIJA RADENOVIĆ¹ AND VESNA SELAKOVIĆ²

¹Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade,11000 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro; ²Institute for Medical Research, Military Medical Academy, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro

Abstract - We investigated superoxide production and MnSOD activity after kainate injection into the CA3 region of the rat hippocampus. The measurements took place at different times in hippocampus, forebrain cortex, striatum, and cerebellum homogenates. Free radicals including superoxide are responsible for post-lesional cytotoxicity. Neuronal cells responded to oxidative stress in kainate-induced neurotoxicity and caused the protective mechanism to increase MnSOD levels. The increase of MnSOD in distinct brain regions functionally connected via afferents and efferents suggests that these regions are affected by the injury. It implies that MnSOD protects the cells in these regions from superoxide-induced damage and therefore may limit the retrograde and anterograde spread of neurotoxicity.