Ferroxidase activity increases in the aqueous humor during the ocular inflammatory response

Ferroxidase activity was increased in the aqueous humor from inflamed eyes compared to their uninflamed contralateral controls 24 h after intravitreal injection of 10 ng of endotoxin. Changes in ferroxidase activity and copper concentration paralleled each other indicating that the plasma copper transport protein ceruloplasmin (plasma ferroxidase) entered the inflamed aqueous humor from plasma through disrupted blood ocular barriers. The presence of ferroxidase activity would facilitate the removal of potentially damaging, free radical generating Fe+2. Therefore, plasma proteins may perform important protective functions in the inflamed intraocular fluids.