Ceruloplasmin in monkey plasma.

Abstract

An abnormally greenish tint appeared in the blood plasma of adult rhesus monkeys that had been daily administered an intramuscular injection of 1-methyl-2-(β-naphtyl)-aziridine or chlorpromazine. This greenish component in the monkey plasma could not be extracted with cyclohexane, 1, 2-dichloroethane or n-butyl alcohol, and the greenish tint was scarcely changed by the addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetate. The greenish monkey plasma showed a visible absorption band at 610 nm like the blue fraction separated from it. These absorption bands at 610 nm, both in the greenish monkey plasma and the separated blue fraction, disappeared with the addition of ascorbic acid and reappeared with oxygen, as with human ceruloplasmin (Cp). The electron spin resonance spectrum of the greenish monkey plasma was similar to that of human Cp. Furthermore, the major portion of copper in monkey plasma was in the blue fraction, and the total plasma copper and p-phenylenediamine oxidase activity (PPD activity) increased with deepening of the green tint. These results suggested that the abnormal greenish tint of the monkey plasma is due to the presence of the blue copper protein Cp in the plasma. Based on examination of the relationships between total plasma copper and PPD activity in monkey and rat plasma, monkey Cp activity was compared with those of other mammalian species.