Extracellular superoxide dismutase and glomerular mesangial cells: its production and regulation.

Extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) is synthesized in mesenchymally derived cells and prevents the oxygen radical-induced injury. We studied whether kidney mesangial cells (MCs) produce EC-SOD and how its production is associated with chemokine secretion. Under unstimulated condition, MCs produced EC-SOD, and its production was correlated positively with cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), but negatively with interleukin (IL)-6 or IL-8 production. By prednisolone or phorbol myristate acetate treatment, EC-SOD levels were correlated negatively with levels of IL-6 and IL-8. The presence of adenylate cyclase inhibitor 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine lost the prednisolone effect. The stimulation of EC-SOD production might be one of the important effects of prednisolone via cAMP pathway in MCs.