Copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) were measured in urine, serum and tissues from rats with nephrotic syndrome (NS) induced with a single subcutaneous dose of puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN; 15 mg/l00 g BW). Control animals were pair-fed. Urine was collected daily, and the rats were sacrificed on day 10. PAN-nephrotic rats had proteinuria (days 3-10), high urinary Cu (days 1,2,4-10) and Zn (days 3-10) excretion. On day 10, nephrotic rats had: (a) albuminuria, hypoalbuminemia, hypoproteinemia, high urine and low serum levels of ceruloplasmin; (b) low Cu and Zn serum levels; (c) high clearance and fractional excretion of Cu and Zn, and (d) low kidney and liver Cu content and essentially normal tissue Zn levels. The alterations in Cu metabolism were more intense than those in Zn metabolism. Urine Cu and Zn showed a positive correlation with urine total protein on days 3-10 which suggests that high urinary excretion of Cu and Zn may be due to the excretion of its carrier proteins. In conclusion, these rats did not show a typical Zn deficiency but a clear decrease in Cu in the liver and kidney.
Rabbit ceruloplasmin (Cp) was purified after solid ammonium sulfate precipitation to 60% final saturation by a two-step column chromatography procedure, utilizing DEAE-Sephadex A-50 and changing the NaCl concentration in the buffer to 0.16 M to achieve the isolation of the protein. The purified Cp was used to prepare antibodies in guinea pigs that were used afterwards to determine the Cp concentration in normal rabbits and in rabbits with an experimentally induced chronic anemia. The molecular weight of rabbit Cp determined by SDS-PAGE was 125,000 and a high molecular weight Cp of 200,000 comprising 8% of the total purified protein was also found. An optical density ratio (610 nm/280 nm) of 0.0475 and a molar extinction coefficient of 7625 were obtained. Copper determinations yielded a value of 0.24% that corresponds to 5 copper atoms per molecule. The staining of Cp following discelectrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels also showed a two band pattern.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.