Copper- and zinc-containing superoxide dismutase and manganese-containing superoxide dismutase in human tissues and human malignant tumors.

Superoxide dismutases might conceivably protect against both ionizing radiation and free radical-producing antibiotic antitumor drugs. Copper- and zinc-containing superoxide dismutase (CuZn superoxide dismutase) and manganese-containing superoxide dismutase (Mn superoxide dismutase) were specifically assayed in human malignant tumors and for comparison in human tissues. The tumors possessed less CuZn superoxide dismutase than did the more metabolically active tissues, but there was a large overlap between the tissue and the tumor levels. Mn superoxide dismutase was found in all tumors, and the ratio between the activities of CuZn superoxide dismutase and Mn superoxide dismutase was not different from that of the normal tissues. Human tumors are thus different from tumors from other species which have been reported to be deficient or very low in Mn superoxide dismutase. There was no obvious relation between sensitivity to ionizing radiation and content of the enzymes among the tumors and the tissues, nor did tumor types known to be responsive to radical-producing drugs possess less CuZn superoxide dismutase or Mn superoxide dismutase than other tumors.