Role of superoxide dismutase 3 in skin inflammation

In 1982, a third SOD enzyme was discovered by Marklund and co-workers and named SOD3 on extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD), as it was shown to be the predominant form in extracellular fluids such as lymph, synovial fluid, and plasma. Many studies have focused on the anti-oxidative effect of SOD3 in the lung and vascular wall where it is highly expressed. Thus, the roles of SOD3 as an anti-oxidative enzyme in ROS-mediated lung inflammation and vascular disease such as ischemia and atherosclerosis, and its mechanism have been extensively studied. However, our studies revealed that the role of SOD3 in inflammation is not simply due to radical scavenging; it affects immune responses and signal initiation. Further, we found that SOD3 is expressed throughout the epidermis and dermis, and its levels were altered upon the progression of inflammation. Considering that skin is the primarily contact with the exogenous environment, including UV, pathogens, and chemicals, it is necessary to understand the role of SOD3 in the prevention or suppression of skin inflammation. Here, we address the emerging role of SOD3 in the suppression of skin inflammation and immune response. (c) 2012 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.