Copper metabolism in mottled mouse mutants. The effect of copper therapy on lysyl oxidase activity in brindled (Mobr) mice.

Abstract

Lysyl oxidase activity in extracts of skin from 1-day-old Mobr/Y mice was found to be between 50 and 60% of that in corresponding extracts from littermate +/Y mice of the same age. It was increased to 84-150% of that in the latter by prior treatment of the Mobr/Y mice at 7 days of age with a single subcutaneous injection of 50 micrograms of copper, retained as Cu+ in an alkyl polyether/sebacic acid solution. This suggests that in this form the copper is able to by-pass the block in copper metabolism and is deliverable to copper-requiring processes.