Copper-thionein in leucocytes

Biology of Metals
H J HartmannU Weser

Abstract

Upon incubation of peripheral leucocytes with copper sulphate a dramatic cellular copper uptake reaching levels of 25-50-fold compared to that of the natural copper content was measured. The orange-red fluorescence of the copper-treated white blood cells was assigned to the formation of Cu(I)-thiolate clusters in Cu(I)-thionein. A protein of 6-8 kDa was isolated from homogenized bovine leucocytes and characterized by its electronic absorption and amino acid composition to be identical to the above Cu(I)-thionein. More than 70% of the intracellular copper was attributed to this protein in its monomeric and polymeric form. Cu-thionein formation was more pronounced in monocytes than in granulocytes. As most intriguing phenomenon, the release of this Cu-thionein from leucocytes, was also noticed. The occurrence of Cu-thionein in leucocytes and the excretion of the intact Cu(I)-thiolate protein is of considerable interest with respect to the observed elevated copper levels in white blood cells and plasma during tumor malignancies and inflammatory processes.

References

Jan 1, 1979·Experientia. Supplementum·J R Riordan, G Madapallimattam
Mar 28, 1977·Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta·H J Hartmann, U Weser
Jan 1, 1989·Biology of Metals·K FelixU Weser
Jan 1, 1987·Experientia. Supplementum·S KoizumiM Ohsawa
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Apr 1, 1987·Environmental Research·D L Peavy, E J Fairchild
May 18, 1981·FEBS Letters·M Beltramini, K Lerch

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Citations

Jul 27, 2001·Brain Research Bulletin·J HidalgoM Vasák
Jan 1, 1990·Free Radical Research Communications·R Miesel, U Weser
Apr 1, 1996·Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology : Organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS)·J KadrabováF Ginter

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