[Protective effect of various forms of human ceruloplasmin in copper-induced erythrocyte lysis]

It is known that human ceruloplasmin (CP) is made up of several isoforms which differ by the structure of their carbohydrate fragment. One of these isoforms, CP1, which makes up to approximately 40% of the native CP molecule and which contains a carbohydrate fragment, [formula: see text] is specifically bound to human erythrocyte (ER) receptors. This isoform was isolated by using lectin affinity chromatography. It was found that CP1 produces a much stronger protective effect on ER during Cu(2+)-induced lysis as compared with CP. A kinetic analysis of Cu2+ accumulation and reduced glutathione (GSH) decline in ER revealed that the lack of correlation between these two processes. It was found that in the presence of CP and CP1 the GSH concentration is not critical for the hemolytic resistance of ER. In the presence of CP1 ER hemolysis occurs at a slower rate whereas the GSH decline at a much faster rate than in the presence of CP.