Abstract

Ceruloplasmin (CP) is a blue copper containing plasma protein with oxidase activity. Plasma CP levels decrease in humans due to low copper absorption, intestinal and renal protein loss, chronic copper poisoning, Wilson's disease and abnormalities of protein metabolism. CP levels increase in a wide variety of pathological conditions and pregnancy. A radial immunodiffusion (RID) assay was developed by preparing a CP isolate from pilot whale serum and raising an antiserum to it in a rabbit. The antiserum showed no cross reaction with sera from chicken, fish, manatee, elephant seal, human, bovine, equine, porcine, caprine, ovine, lapine, or Brydes (baleen) whale. The antisera did cross react with Pacific pilot whale, Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, pigmy sperm whale, and Pacific white-sided dolphin, indicating specificity for odontocete cetacea. Precision of the procedure was measured by running RIDs in quadruplicate for 8 samples; the standard deviations were less than 7% of the sample CP level. Serum samples were obtained from 2 aquariums. Of 61 samples, 32 were considered to be from normal, healthy animals and the mean CP level was 86 mg/dl with a standard deviation of 23 mg/dl, Serum samples were collected from a pilot whale with gastritis (assigned cause of death) believed to be chronic in nature. CP levels were elevated in all samples (mean 130 mg/dl; s.d. 24). (Aided by Marineland of Florida.)

Notes

Ceruloplasmin has a MW of 160,000, a carbohydrate content of 8.0% and a copper content of 0.32%. It migrates in the a2-globulin region.

Functions

1. Oxidase activity with dopamine, norepinephrine, etc.
2. Iron metabolism - may change Fe from ferrous to ferric for transport in the blood.
3. Cu donor

 Abnormal ceruloplasmin levels - causes:

• Congenital hypoceruloplasminemia
• Hypoceruloplasminemia
• GIT and renal protein loss
• malabsorption syndrome
• severe liver damage
• Hyperceruloplasminemia
  • acute and chronic inflammatory diseases
  • pregnancy
  • malignant tumors

  Ceruloplasmin was isolated using a lab technique described by the speaker.

  Normal whale ceruloplasmin level is 86 mg/dl ± 23. A whale with gastritis had a level of 130 mg/d ± 24. The normal level in:

  man  = 24 mg/dl

  woman  = 28 mg/dl

  pregnant woman =50 mg/dl