01 What is Superoxide Dismutase？

Superoxide Dismutase(SOD), is an active substance originating from the living body, which is regarded as the most magical enzyme in life science and technology, and the garbage scavenger of the human body.

It protects cells from oxidative damage by converting the harmful free radicals produced by organisms during metabolism into completely harmless water and oxygen through a disproportionation reaction.

SOD is the most powerful and fastest promotion of stem cell division and prolongation of blocking cell differentiation, which is the natural enemy of free radicals, the number one killer of free radicals in the organism, and the basis of life and health.

02 Classification of SOD

According to the different metal cofactors in SOD, SOD can be roughly categorized into three major groups, which are Cu/Zn-SOD, Mn-SOD, and Fe-SOD.

Cu/Zn-SOD: blue-green in color, mainly found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells, and is considered to be one of the most widely distributed of the more primitive biological groups.

Mn-SOD: pink in color, mainly found in the mitochondria of prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

Fe-SOD: yellowish brown in color, mainly found in prokaryotic cells. They can effectively scavenge superoxide anion free radicals (with 1 unpaired electron along with a negative charge) to avoid their excessive damage to cells, with antioxidant, anti-radiation, and anti-aging functions.

SOD is extremely widely distributed and has so far been isolated from a variety of organisms including bacteria, fungi, algae, plants, protozoa, insects, fish, and mammals.

This enzyme is very stable and rarely inactivated when heated for several minutes at 75°C. It is also stable in acids and bases and can react in the pH range of 5.3 to 10.5.

03 Structure and Function of SOD

The structure and function of SOD varies in different species and tissues. For example, EC-SOD is a tetramer composed of four subunits, which is mainly found in the extracellular matrix, bind to the extracellular matrix, and are involved in antioxidant defense. CuZn SOD-1, on the other hand, is a copper-zinc bimetallic superoxide dismutase, which is mainly found in the cytoplasm and plays an important role in antioxidant stress. In addition, there is a special class of SODs, copper-only SODs, which exist as extracellular SODs in certain bacteria and fungi; these SODs lack zinc sites but are still effective in scavenging superoxide anions.
 
04 Expression of SOD

SOD expression is regulated by a variety of factors. In bacteria, the expression of SOD genes is affected by environmental oxygen tension, substrate type, iron concentration, and other factors. In plants, SOD expression is closely related to plant response to environmental stress and can help plants resist oxidative stress. In humans, SOD3 gene expression is related to lung function, and SOD3 variation is associated with increased susceptibility to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

05 Application of SOD

Pharmaceutical field: ①Development of drugs for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and other diseases related to oxidative stress. ② Used to reduce inflammatory reactions and tissue damage.

Nutraceutical industry: made into health products with antioxidant function to help maintain the health of the body and delay aging.

Cosmetic field: added to skin care products to combat oxidative skin damage and maintain skin vitality and elasticity.

Food industry: added to food as a natural antioxidant to extend food shelf life and reduce oxidative deterioration.

Agricultural field: may be used to increase the resistance of crops to adversity and reduce oxidative damage.

Bioengineering and gene therapy: regulating the expression of SOD through gene technology, used in therapeutic strategies for diseases.

Radiation protection: to mitigate the adverse effects of radiation on the body.

In conclusion, SOD is an important antioxidant enzyme that protects cells from oxidative damage by scavenging superoxide anion free radicals. The structure and function of SOD varies in different species and tissues, and its expression is regulated by a variety of factors and has shown a wide range of applications in agriculture and medicine.

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