Lower Superoxide Dismutase 2 (SOD2) Protein Content in Mononuclear Cells Is Associated with Better Survival in Patients with Hemodialysis Therapy

Mitochondrial superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) converts superoxide anions to hydrogen peroxide and oxygen. Human data on SOD2 protein content in chronic kidney disease (CKD) are sparse and mortality data are lacking. We investigated SOD2 protein content in monocytes from patients with hemodialysis therapy (n = 81), CKD stage 1–5 (n = 120), and healthy controls (n = 13) using in-cell Western assays. SOD2 protein decreased from CKD stage 1 until stage 4 whereas it increased again in stage 5 with and without hemodialysis. SOD2 gene expression, analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR, was not significantly different between the groups. Elevating cellular superoxide production reduced SOD2 protein content. This effect was abolished by the superoxide dismutase mimetic Tempol. Using gelelectrophoresis and Western blot we did not detect nitrotyrosine modifications of SOD2 in CKD. Finally, in patients with CKD stage 5 with hemodialysis therapy higher than median SOD2 protein content was associated with higher all-cause mortality. In conclusion, SOD2 protein content declined in CKD until stage 4 while SOD2 gene expression did not. Increased cellular superoxide anion production might affect SOD2 protein content. In advanced CKD (stage 5) SOD2 protein content increased again, but higher than median SOD2 protein content in these patients did not confer a survival benefit.