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Production of melanins by ceruloplasmin
M A Rosei1, C Foppoli, X T Wang
1Department of Biochemical Sciences, University La Sapienza of Rome, Italy. rosei@axcasp.caspur.it
Abstract:
It was shown that ceruloplasmin, apart from the known oxidative conversion of dopamine into melanin, can also produce (DHI)-melanin from 5,6-dihydroxyindole and THP-melanin from tetrahydropapaveroline. Ceruloplasmin acts as an oxidase and the kinetic parameters for these oxidative reactions are reported. Since these ceruloplasmin-catalyzed reactions occur also at pH 7.4, they could have a significant physiological impact. This ceruloplasmin-oxidasic activity is enhanced by copper ions and inhibited by chelators, such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and desferoxamine (DEF). Some possible implication of melanin production in blood are discussed.