Transformation affects superoxide dismutase activity.

A human, aging lung fibroblast cell strain manifested both copper-zinc superoxide dismutase activity (CuZn-SOD) and manganese-containing superoxide dismutase activity (MnSOD), and these activities were found to be modulated by physiological concentrations of thyroid hormone. The immortal cell lines examined, whether normal or malignant, had no MnSOD activity. The immortal normal cell lines examined had CuZnSOD activity which was modulated by thyroid hormone, whereas the immortal malignant cell lines had CuZnSOD activity which was not affected, or not as strongly affected, by the presence of thyroid hormone.