The failure of adult rats to survive prolonged exposure to greater than 95% O2 is generally ascribed to the inability of their lungs to increase antioxidant enzyme synthesis in response to the oxidant challenge. We studied the synthesis rate of the antioxidant enzyme CuZn superoxide dismutase (CuZn SOD) in lungs of adult and neonatal rats exposed to conditions that alter the lung's oxidant-to-antioxidant balance. Lung CuZn SOD synthesis in the adult was significantly increased after 24 h of hyperoxia but fell to control levels after further exposure, whereas in neonatal lungs an increased rate of synthesis of CuZn SOD was found only after 72 h of hyperoxia. The adult lung responded to two in vitro oxidant stresses, [diethyldithiocarbamate exposure and heat (42 degrees C)] with increases in CuZn SOD synthesis twice the magnitude of those in the neonatal lung. These data indicate that the adult lung is at least as capable as the neonatal lung of increasing its synthesis of CuZn SOD in response to an oxidative stress. However, the inability of the adult lung to maintain an increased rate of CuZn SOD synthesis during in vivo hyperoxia may contribute to the poor tolerance of the adult lung to greater than 95% O2.