Primary biochemical defect in copper metabolism in mice with a recessive X-linked mutation analogous to Menkes' disease in man. 1979

H W Prins, and C J Van den Hamer

The defect in Menkes' disease in man is identical to that in Brindled mice. The defect manifests itself in a accumulation of copper in some tissues, such as renal, intestinal (mucosa and muscle), pancreatic, osseous, muscular, and dermal. Hence a fatal copper deficiency results in other tissues (e.g., hepatic). The copper transport through the intestine is impaired and copper, which circumvents the block in the copper resorption, is irreversibly trapped in the above-mentioned, copper accumulating tissues where it is bound to a cytoplasmatic protein with molecular weight 10,000 daltons, probably the primary cytoplasmatic copper transporting protein. This protein shows a Cu-S absorption band at 250 nm, and the copper:protein ratio is increased. Such copper rich protein was found neither in the kidneys of the unaffected mice nor in the liver of the mice that do have the defect. Three models of the primary defect in Menkes disease are proposed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007668 Kidney Body organ that filters blood for the secretion of URINE and that regulates ion concentrations. Kidneys
D007706 Menkes Kinky Hair Syndrome An inherited disorder of copper metabolism transmitted as an X-linked trait and characterized by the infantile onset of HYPOTHERMIA, feeding difficulties, hypotonia, SEIZURES, bony deformities, pili torti (twisted hair), and severely impaired intellectual development. Defective copper transport across plasma and endoplasmic reticulum membranes results in copper being unavailable for the synthesis of several copper containing enzymes, including PROTEIN-LYSINE 6-OXIDASE; CERULOPLASMIN; and SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE. Pathologic changes include defects in arterial elastin, neuronal loss, and gliosis. (From Menkes, Textbook of Child Neurology, 5th ed, p125) Hypocupremia, Congenital,Kinky Hair Syndrome,Menkes Syndrome,Steely Hair Syndrome,Congenital Hypocupremia,Copper Transport Disease,Kinky Hair Disease,Menkea Syndrome,Menkes Disease,Menkes' Disease,Steely Hair Disease,X-Linked Copper Deficiency,Congenital Hypocupremias,Copper Deficiencies, X-Linked,Copper Deficiency, X-Linked,Copper Transport Diseases,Deficiencies, X-Linked Copper,Deficiency, X-Linked Copper,Disease, Copper Transport,Disease, Steely Hair,Diseases, Copper Transport,Diseases, Kinky Hair,Diseases, Menkes',Diseases, Steely Hair,Hair Diseases, Kinky,Hair Diseases, Steely,Hypocupremias, Congenital,Kinky Hair Diseases,Menkea Syndromes,Menkes' Diseases,Steely Hair Diseases,Steely Hair Syndromes,Syndrome, Menkea,Syndrome, Steely Hair,Syndromes, Menkea,Syndromes, Steely Hair,Transport Disease, Copper,Transport Diseases, Copper,X Linked Copper Deficiency,X-Linked Copper Deficiencies
D008099 Liver A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances. Livers
D009154 Mutation Any detectable and heritable change in the genetic material that causes a change in the GENOTYPE and which is transmitted to daughter cells and to succeeding generations. Mutations
D011506 Proteins Linear POLYPEPTIDES that are synthesized on RIBOSOMES and may be further modified, crosslinked, cleaved, or assembled into complex proteins with several subunits. The specific sequence of AMINO ACIDS determines the shape the polypeptide will take, during PROTEIN FOLDING, and the function of the protein. Gene Products, Protein,Gene Proteins,Protein,Protein Gene Products,Proteins, Gene
D001928 Brain Diseases, Metabolic Acquired or inborn metabolic diseases that produce brain dysfunction or damage. These include primary (i.e., disorders intrinsic to the brain) and secondary (i.e., extracranial) metabolic conditions that adversely affect cerebral function. Central Nervous System Metabolic Disorders,Encephalopathies, Metabolic,Metabolic Disorders, Brain,Acquired Metabolic Diseases, Brain,Acquired Metabolic Diseases, Nervous System,Acquired Metabolic Encephalopathies,Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Acquired,Brain Disorders, Metabolic,Brain Disorders, Metabolic, Acquired,Brain Syndrome, Metabolic,Brain Syndrome, Metabolic, Acquired,CNS Metabolic Disorders,CNS Metabolic Disorders, Acquired,Encephalopathy, Metabolic, Acquired,Metabolic Brain Diseases,Metabolic Brain Diseases, Acquired,Metabolic Brain Syndrome,Metabolic Brain Syndrome, Acquired,Metabolic Brain Syndromes,Metabolic Brain Syndromes, Acquired,Metabolic Diseases, Acquired, Nervous System,Metabolic Disorder, Central Nervous System, Acquired,Metabolic Disorders, CNS,Metabolic Disorders, CNS, Acquired,Metabolic Disorders, Central Nervous System,Metabolic Encephalopathies,Nervous System Acquired Metabolic Diseases,Acquired Metabolic Encephalopathy,Brain Disease, Metabolic,Brain Disorder, Metabolic,Brain Metabolic Disorder,Brain Metabolic Disorders,CNS Metabolic Disorder,Encephalopathies, Acquired Metabolic,Encephalopathy, Acquired Metabolic,Encephalopathy, Metabolic,Metabolic Brain Disease,Metabolic Brain Disorder,Metabolic Brain Disorders,Metabolic Disorder, Brain,Metabolic Disorder, CNS,Metabolic Encephalopathies, Acquired,Metabolic Encephalopathy,Metabolic Encephalopathy, Acquired
D003300 Copper A heavy metal trace element with the atomic symbol Cu, atomic number 29, and atomic weight 63.55. Copper-63,Copper 63
D004195 Disease Models, Animal Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases. Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D005260 Female Females
D006579 Heterozygote An individual having different alleles at one or more loci regarding a specific character. Carriers, Genetic,Genetic Carriers,Carrier, Genetic,Genetic Carrier,Heterozygotes

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