In vitro damage to rat lens by lumazine and xanthine oxidase: prevention by superoxide dismutase.

Intact rat lenses incubated with lumazine and xanthine oxidase are physiologically damaged as evidenced by a decrease in the net accumulation of rubidium ions against a concentration gradient. Superoxide dismutase protected the tissue against this damage. These experiments, therefore, demonstrate the susceptibility of the lens tissue to O2- injury under ambient and nonphotochemical conditions, suggesting a possible implication of this radical in the tissue in vivo and eventual cataract formation. The lumazine/xanthine oxidase system which is known to cause oxygen reduction predominantly by the monovalent route, producing superoxide, appears quite suitable to evaluate the toxicity of O2- to the tissues in vitro.