Congenital Copper Deficiency: Copper Therapy and Dopamine-Beta-Hydroxylase Activity in the Mottled (Brindled) Mouse
June 1983
in “
Journal of Neurochemistry
”
Studysummary This study found that copper injections increased dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity in the brains of mottled mice, an animal model for Menkes' syndrome.
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The study investigated the effects of copper therapy on the mottled (Mo) mouse, an animal model for Menkes' kinky hair syndrome, a congenital copper deficiency disorder. Researchers administered intraperitoneal copper chloride injections (10 μg/g) on postnatal days 7 and 10, which resulted in clinical and morphological improvements. Additionally, these copper injections increased the activity of dopamine-β-hydroxylase, a copper-dependent enzyme, in the brains of the Mo mice, suggesting potential therapeutic benefits for addressing neurochemical changes associated with the disorder.
