Tolerance of aged rat brains to mild hyperoxia: possible involvement of higher GIF content

We investigate the aging effects of the hyperoxia-mediated induction of two antioxidants and three antioxidant enzymes in the rat brain. All of these genes responded to hyperoxia in young but not aged brains. Despite the partial inactivation of CuZn SOD and glutathione peroxidase by hyperoxia in aged rat brains, lipid peroxidation did not increase. The higher growth inhibitory factor (GIF) content in aged rat brains may be utilized as an antioxidant during hyperoxia.