Anti-inflammatory activity of various superoxide dismutases on polyarthritis in the Lewis rat.

The anti-arthritic activity of four superoxide dismutases (SODs) has been compared by using the adjuvant-induced polyarthritis rat model. Many of the clinical signs observed in the rat closely resemble those of human rheumatic diseases and the Fiessinger-Leroy-Reiter syndrome. An original protocol and various approaches allowed study of the evolution of long term (30-90 days) SOD treatment. Results are relevant to clinical application: human and bovine Cu-SODs are fully active during secondary and tertiary arthritic reaction; homologous rat Cu-SOD is active only transiently at the end of the secondary reaction; human Mn-SOD is active only on the second stage of arthritic reaction. It should be noted that bovine and human SODs slightly delay the appearance of bony damage. These data were confirmed by the scintigraphic study. Finally it is noteworthy that drug pharmacological activity decreases when the blood level of anti-SOD antibodies increases. This indicates the existence of an immunological reaction following SOD administration.