Brain antioxidant responses to acute iron and copper intoxications in rats.

Dose- and time-dependent antioxidant responses to Fe (0-60 mg kg(-1)) and Cu overloads (0-30 mg kg(-1)) in rat brains are described by the C-50 and the t(1/2), the brain metal concentration and the time for half maximal oxidative responses. Brain GSH and the GSH/GSSG ratio markedly decreased after Fe and Cu treatments (50-80%) with a t(1/2) of 9-10 h for GSH and of 4 h for GSH/GSSG for both metals. The GSH/GSSG ratio was the most sensitive indicator of brain oxidative stress. The decrease of GSH and the increase of in vivo chemiluminescence had similar time courses. The C-50 for brain chemiluminescence, GSH and hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants were in similar ranges (32-36 mu g Fe g(-1) brain and 10-18 mu g Cu g(-1) brain), which indicated a unique free-radical mediated process for each metal. The brain concentration of hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants decreased after Fe and Cu loads; hydrophilic antioxidants decreased by 46-68% with a t(1/2) of 10-11 h and lipophilic antioxidants decreased by 75-45% with a t(1/2) of 10-12 h. Cu, Zn-SOD and CAT activities and the protein expression were adaptively increased (100-90% after Fe and Cu loads), with a t(1/2) of 8-12 h. GPx-4 activity decreased after both metal loads by 73-27% with a t(1/2) of 8-4 h with decreased protein expression.