Radio-protective Effects of Superoxide Dismutase
Petkau conducted further experiments with simulated cells in 1976 and found that the enzyme Superoxide dismutase protected the cells from free radicals generated by ionizing radiation, obviating the effects seen in his earlier experiment. Petkau also discovered that Superoxide dismutase was elevated in the leukocytes (white blood cells) in a sub-population of nuclear workers occupationally exposed to elevated radiation (ca. 10 mSv in 6 months), further supporting the hypothesis that Superoxide dismutase is a radioprotective agent. Thus, Petkau's original 1972 experiment apparently revealed the potential effects of ionizing radiation on cells without natural radioprotective mechanisms in place.
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