Reaction of Brain Copper Proteins with Sodium Diethyldithiocarbamate in Normal and in Hepatolenticular Degeneration. ∗

Abstract

Summary

1) Less than 15% of copper in crude bovine cerebrocuprein I (Cu content 0.15%) and in fraction I copper proteins from normal human brain reacted directly with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate. 2) In brains from 2 cases of hepatolenticular degeneration 29 to 45% of the fraction I copper reacted directly. This direct-reacting copper, amounting to more than 7.5 μg/g fresh tissue i.e. more than 20-fold the amount of direct-reacting copper in normal human fraction I, may represent copper bound to brain proteins which are normally copper-free.