Copper Metabolism in Cattle Flashcards
Copper introduction
- first shown to be essential for growth/development/haemoglobin production in lab rats in 1920s
- grazing ruminants with chronic wasting diseases found to respond to copper therapy (e.g Sawyback - ataxic disease of newborn lambs, neuromuscular condition unable to stand)
- copper deficient soils affecting livestock and vegetation
Is copper a trace element
What is a trace element
Yes
required in small quantities (mg/kg DM) cattle need 15-30mg/kgDM of copper
What is an enzyme co-factor
a chemical compound required by an enzyme as a catalyst
cytochrome c oxidase role
can copper be used as an antioxidant
enzyme that requires copper for respiration in the electron transport chain as an electron acceptor
responsible to generate energy for all tissues
antioxidant - prevent tissue damage from free radicles and get rid of waste produced during respiration
Copper in transport of other minerals
Hepheastin - transport of iron from intestines, influx of iron across basolateral membrane into cells of intestinal tract
Peptidylglycine monoxygenase
- copper dependant enzyme required for generation of appetite regulating hormones
gastrin and CCK
serum/tissue of - activity in PAM rats positively correlated with dietary intake of copper
Copper Metabolism - absorption
- occurs in duodenum
- enters enterocytes ACTIVE transport from lumen
- exits by active transport into blood
- Cu2+ to Cu by brush boarder metalloenzymes at apical surface then transported across apical membrane of enterocyte by CTR1 (high affinity copper transporter
- Cu transported into golgi network = synthesis of metalloenzymes (e.g hepheastin) OR shuttled by atox1 to ATP7A into bloodstream
Where does copper go after absorption
to the liver(copper homeostasis main organ)
Cu bound to serum albumin with transcuprien and histidine
Liver role
storage organ
regulates copper excretion in bile
secrete copper into blood for transport to tissues
Copper storage and excretion
- liver
- Cu uptake into hepatocytes mediated by CTR1
- Cu binds to cytosolic copper chaperones for intracellular transport
- after transfer across gut = enter portal vein
- free intracellular copper stored in vesicular copper pools
- liver fluke infestations can limit how much Cu liver can store
Three pools of Cu in liver
- storage (mainly in MT)
- excretion (transpored into bile)
- transit (enters enzymes)
What happens if there is excess in copper supply
ATP7B translocates to the cell membrane and pumps copper out of cell
Copper transport
Ceruloplasmin (CP)= main transport protein - binds 6 Cu ions
consists of 90% plasma Cu
CP produced at steady rate
however studies in mice found after gene deletion for CP still metabolise copper
Clinical copper deficiency in ruminants signs
- visible
- economic
- pathological
- change coat colour (black to white wool), swayback in lambs
- infertility (anoestrus, lack of oestrus behaviour), Reduced growth rate poor FCR (feed conversion efficiencies)
- uneven bone growth = osteochondrosis
- connective tissue dysfunction (e.g. lesions in ligamentum nuchse supporting neck lead to dislocation causing head to drop and create a ‘hump’
- heart func, immune func,
- RBC formation (haemoglobin synthesis declines)
Causes of copper deficiency in ruminants
- primary - lack of Cu in diet (unlikly problem in UK, tolerate low Cu)
- Secondary - antagonists affecting Cu metabolism (e.g. molybdenum, sulphur, iron, zinc) lead to copper responsive disorders
Suttle (1990) concluded Mo+S interactions main cause of Cu deficiency
Why use term copper responsive disorder rather than clinical deficiency
may look clinically well and give it copper supplementation and its health may improve
if clinically or sub clinically deficient, respond to copper treatment
What do molybdenum and sulphur combine to create
Thiomolybdates (MoS4)
prevents absorption of copper
can cause copper deficiency
- sulphide formed by ruminal microorg from dietary sulphate/organic sulphate compounds
molybdenum only exerts limiting effect on copper retention in presence of sulphur
Thiomolybdates
- what forms them
- types and effects
- Mo and S form monothiomolybdates (TM1) - breakdown acidity of abomasum
- become TM3
- become TM4 (tetra-thiomolybdates) collect copper, dont allow absorption
- further along sequence = more stable
- more Mo and S in diet = further along sequence TM formed
What can happen to TMs
- excreted in faeces
- absorbed into blood and excreted through bile or stored in liver. exert systematic effect on Cu metabolism in excess
- go into tissues - thiomolybdate removes Cu, inactivates enzymes = toxic
What is the haemolytic phase
mass release of Cu into the bloodstream, excess copper induce production of superoxide radicals which cause RBC membrane damage
mass hepatic degeneration, liver breaks down, metabolic shut down
Clinical signs of haemolytic phase
- jaundice (excessive breakdown of rbc leading to bile accumulation)
- dark urine
- blood dullness
- death