Adult rats were exposed to room air, 50%, 65%, or 80% oxygen for 6 wk. Subsets were sacrificed periodically in order to establish alterations in growth parameters and lung antioxidant responses. Prolonged exposure to 50% or 65% oxygen did not result in weight loss or changes in lung-to-body weight ratios relative to control values. Treatment with 50% oxygen produced delayed increases in nonprotein sulfhydryl (NPSH) content and catalase (CAT) activity, while treatment with 65% oxygen produced delayed increases in NPSH, CAT, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) content. Rats treated for 6 wk with either 50% or 65% oxygen died significantly earlier than room-air control animals when these groups were subsequently exposed to 100% oxygen. Rats exposed to 80% oxygen had significantly decreased body weight, increased lung-to-body weight ratios, and increased levels of NPSH, CAT, GPx, total superoxide dismutase, and glutathione reductase by 11 days of treatment. At 6 wk they had significantly altered growth parameters and increased GPx catalase, and NPSH levels. Their final antioxidant profile was not significantly different from 65% oxygen-exposed rats. However, these animals survived significantly longer than any group when exposed to 100% oxygen. In summary, lower concentrations of sublethal hyperoxia (less than or equal to 65%) were capable of eliciting significant antioxidant enzyme responses. Levels of antioxidant enzymes in the lungs of rats chronically exposed to sublethal hyperoxia did not appear to be solely responsible for enhanced survival in subsequent lethal hyperoxia.