Purification and partial characterization of ceruloplasmin from chicken serum

A comparative study of acute-phase protein concentrations in historical and modern broiler breeding lines

Acute-phase proteins (APP) are secreted from the liver as a result of inflammation or infection and are measurable in serum and plasma. To determine whether the constitutive APP serum amyloid A (SAA), alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), ceruloplasmin (Cp), and ovotransferrin (Ovt) have changed as a result of selection for improved production and growth characteristics over the last 40 yr two historical broilers lines were compared to a modern line of the same lineage. Serum was harvested from blood samples taken from the 3 broiler lines on days 10, 17, and 20, and the APP concentrations were determined using immunoassay methods. Most of the significant changes observed were age related, with SAA and Cp having significantly lower concentrations at day 20 than days 10 and 17 in all lines. The only significant difference between lines was observed at day 20 on which both Cp (P = 0.01) and AGP (P = 0.03) were significantly higher in the modern line than the 90s line, though no significant differences were noted between the modern and 70s line. When evaluating the difference in APP concentrations between males (Cx) and females (Px) across all 3 lines, females had a higher SAA at day 17 and lower SAA at day 20, P = 0.0078 and 0.0327 respectively, and males had a significantly higher Ovt on days 17 and 20 (P = 0.0002 and P = 0.003 respectively). These results reveal that APP concentrations fluctuate over this early period of growth and that the changes in APP serum concentration appear uniform between 3 lines with very contrasting selection history, suggesting the improvements made in meat production efficiency since the 1970s have not affected the circulating concentrations of these constitutively expressed APP.

The effect of feed supplementation with a copper-glycine chelate and copper sulphate on selected humoral and cell-mediated immune parameters, plasma superoxide dismutase activity, ceruloplasmin and cytokine concentration in broiler chickens

The varied bioavailability and different effects of organic forms of copper on the immune system of poultry have prompted the search for new feed additives based on copper compounds containing modified chelate complexes. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of inorganic and organic forms of copper on selected parameters of the cellular and humoral immune response in broiler chickens by determining the percentages of CD3⁺ CD4⁺ , CD3⁺ CD8⁺ and CD25⁺ lymphocytes, cells with MHC Class II expression, and BU-1⁺ cells, as well as the concentrations of SOD, IL-2, IL-10 and TNF-α in the peripheral blood. The experiments were conducted using 500 one-day-old Ross 308 roosters divided into five groups. Cu was added in inorganic form (CuSO₄ ), in inorganic form with the addition of phytase (CuSO4 + F), in organic form in combination with glycine (Cu-Gly) and in organic form in combination with glycine and a phytase supplement (Cu-Gly+F). The results of the study indicate an increase in the percentage of CD3⁺ CD4⁺ and CD3⁺ CD8⁺ T lymphocytes, CD25⁺ T cells, and cells expressing MHC class II molecules, and in the concentration of ceruloplasmin, activity of superoxide dismutase and the concentration of IL-2 in the groups that received copper, particularly copper-glycine chelates. Based on the study, we can conclude that supplementation of poultry feed with copper chelates activates mainly the Th1 cellular immune response and the response of peripheral blood T lymphocytes. Furthermore, it promotes secretion of cytokines, which are involved in potentiation and regulation of the immune response in birds.

The PeptideAtlas of the Domestic Laying Hen

Proteomics-based biological research is greatly expanded by high-quality mass spectrometry studies, which are themselves enabled by access to quality mass spectrometry resources, such as high-quality curated proteome data repositories. We present a PeptideAtlas for the domestic chicken, containing an extensive and robust collection of chicken tissue and plasma samples with substantial value for the chicken proteomics community for protein validation and design of downstream targeted proteome quantitation. The chicken PeptideAtlas contains 6646 canonical proteins at a protein FDR of 1.3%, derived from ∼100 000 peptides at a peptide level FDR of 0.1%. The rich collection of readily accessible data is easily mined for the purposes of data validation and experimental planning, particularly in the realm of developing proteome quantitation workflows. Herein we demonstrate the use of the atlas to mine information on common chicken acute-phase proteins and biomarkers for cancer detection research, as well as their localization and polymorphisms. This wealth of information will support future proteome-based research using this highly important agricultural organism in pursuit of both chicken and human health outcomes.

Dolphin ceruloplasmin: the first proteolytically stable mammalian ceruloplasmin

1. Ceruloplasmin, the blue protein of the plasma of vertebrates, was isolated from dolphin, a marine mammal. The protein showed overall physico-chemical parameters very similar to those of all other mammalian ceruloplasmins. The spectroscopic properties indicated a conservation of the copper binding sites. 2. Non-denaturing electrophoresis revealed a conformation similar to that of other mammalian ceruloplasmins. EPR spectroscopy and calorimetric analyses indicated a three-domain arrangement of the protein typical of "aged" ceruloplasmin. 3. Dolphin ceruloplasmin is the only mammalian ceruloplasmin insensitive to trypsin, plasmin or chymotrypsin. This property, however, does not result in a higher conformational stability of the molecule. Thus, susceptibility of ceruloplasmin to aging is not directly related to the lability to proteases, which is typical of all other mammalian ceruloplasmins so far studied.

Use of 64copper measurements to diagnose canine copper toxicosis

Inherited canine copper toxicosis is a serious problem in Bedlington terriers and West Highland White terriers, and may also be a problem in other less-studied breeds. Affected dogs become ill at midlife with progressive and ultimately fatal liver disease. Treatments for removal of copper and prevention of copper accumulation are available, but are most effective if begun before the dog becomes ill. Until recently diagnosis has not been available until the dog is 1 year of age, and then only by an invasive liver biopsy with determination of liver copper concentration. The authors studied the use of 64copper for early diagnosis of canine copper toxicosis. Two procedures were evaluated. The first involved measuring the concentration of 64copper in blood 24 hours after oral administration of the radioisotope. At this time, 64copper was associated primarily with ceruloplasmin secreted into the blood by the liver. This procedure is useful in the diagnosis of the human counterpart, Wilson's disease. However, the authors found it to be nondiscriminatory between affected and unaffected dogs. In contrast, the second procedure, which involved measuring 64copper excreted in stool during 48 hours after an intravenous dose of radioisotope, yielded results that differentiated most affected and unaffected dogs.

Purification and partial characterization of goose ceruloplasmin

The preparation and properties of ceruloplasmin from goose blood plasma are described. Ammonium sulfate was used to precipitate the crude protein followed by adsorption and elution from DEAE-Sephadex A-50. Further treatment with an ethanol-chloroform mixture and Sephadex G-200 yielded an intensely blue protein possessing a high degree of chemical purity and biological activity. Goose ceruloplasmin, existing in two forms, appears to be a single polypeptide, apparent Mr121,300, with an A610/A280 ratio of 0.07. Copper represented 0.32%, which corresponded to six atoms of copper per protein molecule. Although the amount of EPR-detectable copper was the same as in mammalian ceruloplasmins there were some differences in EPR parameters, mainly in A parallel. Goose ceruloplasmin's amino acid composition, although similar in many residues to human ceruloplasmin, was lower in tyrosine, cystine/cysteine, and acidic amino acids. Valine was found as the N-terminal amino acid. Hexose, hexosamine, sialic acid, and fucose accounted for 6.65% of the weight. Goose protein contained only half the sialic acid of human ceruloplasmin. Two values for Km using either p-phenylenediamine (0.64 and 0.053 mM) or o-dianisidine (0.76 and 0.15 mM) were evaluated from Lineweaver-Burk plots. EPR studies on reactions with water radiolysis products at cryogenic temperatures allowed us to discover that goose ceruloplasmin, like human and bovine ceruloplasmins, possesses superoxide dismutase activity.

Regulation of aortic CuZn-superoxide dismutase with copper. Caeruloplasmin and albumin re-activate and transfer copper to the enzyme in culture

Caeruloplasmin and albumin were compared as potential donors of copper to Cu2Zn2-superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) in culture. Aortas from 15-day copper-deficient chicks were suspended in oxygenated, serum-free, Waymouth medium (752/1) for 24 h. SOD activity was restored when the medium was supplemented with CuCl2, a copper-albumin complex or caeruloplasmin, all present at a level equivalent to 5 microM-copper. Activation did not occur at 4 degrees C or with Cu-EDTA as the supplement. Mn2+ and Zn2+, alone or in combination, did not activate nor enhance the activation achieved by CuCl2. The activation with CuCl2 was not inhibited by cycloheximide or cordycepin. [67Cu]Caeruloplasmin and albumin when added to the medium transferred radioactive copper to at least three cytosolic protein fractions, one of which was determined by immunoprecipitation to be CuZn-SOD. The transfer of 67Cu from caeruloplasmin was inhibited by increasing amounts of unlabelled caeruloplasmin; disodium EDTA (1.0 mM) had no effect on the transfer of copper from caeruloplasmin. These data show that aortic SOD activity, suppressed in copper deficiency, can be restored by incubating the aortas in culture medium supplemented with copper salts. In this system, caeruloplasmin and Cu-albumin appear equally capable of activating aortic CuZn-SOD. Moreover, the transfer of copper into the enzyme structure appears to be the primary event restoring catalytic activity to the enzyme.