Abstract
It is inferred that biosynthesis of ceruloplasmin in liver is regulated by iron, copper and some hormones. In order to clarify the relationship between ceruloplasmin and iron metabolism, hypoceruloplasminemia and hypoferremia were made in rats fed by copper and iron deficient diets for two months.
Copper-deficient rats resulted in the deposition of iron in liver and spleen following by the decrease of ceruloplasmin and iron in serum and of apoceruloplasmin synthesis in liver. Serum iron of these rats returned to normal level with elevation of serum ceruloplasmin after intraperitoneal administration of copper sulfate. Iron-deficient rats showed a marked decrease of ceruloplasmin in serum in spite of increase of apoceruloplasmin synthesis in liver, while intraperitoneal administration of iron resulted in elevation of serum ceruloplasmin.
Biosynthesis of apoceruloplasmin was accelerated by administration of estrogen and testosterone, and was inhibited by intravenous administration of ceruloplasmin in normal rats.
The mucosal cells of rat duodenum deficient in copper are capable of taking up iron, but fail to release it to the plasma. The administration of ceruloplasmin to copper-deficient rats was followed by prompt increase in serum iron.
Ceruloplasmin appeared to be essential to the normal movement of iron from cells to plasma.
