The results have shown that copper deficiency increased cellular susceptibility to oxidative damage. Copper depletion leads to decreased capability of cells to produce SOD, thus increasing their propensity to oxidative damage. Cells of the immune system produce both the superoxide anion and nitric oxide during the oxidative burst triggered during inflammatory processes. Under these conditions, nitric oxide and the superoxide anion may react together to produce significant PTC124 amounts of a much more oxidatively active molecule, peroxynitrite anion (ONOO−) (Carr et al., 2000): equation(9) NO  + O2−  → ONOO Peroxynitrite anion is a potent cytotoxic oxidising agent capable of attacking proteins and

DZNeP nmr causing DNA fragmentation and lipid oxidation. Peroxynitrite has been shown to destroy the transport protein ceruloplasmin and release Cu ions that may induce formation of a copper–lipoprotein complex, which stimulates lipid peroxidation. The combination of ascorbate, copper (or iron), and hydrogen peroxide is an efficient hydroxyl radical generating system called “the Udenfriend system” (Udenfriend et al., 1954). Prooxidant behaviour of ascorbate

under in vitro conditions in this system has been well documented. To see whether ascorbate acts as a pro-oxidant in the presence of copper (or iron) under physiological conditions, an experimental study using human plasma has been conducted. The results have shown that even in the presence of redox-active iron or copper and hydrogen peroxide, ascorbate acts as an antioxidant preventing lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in human plasma (Suh et al., 2003). Exposure to metals has been shown to activate components of MAPK signalling cascades (Mattie and Freedman, 2004). Transcriptional activation by copper involves

MAPK pathways and changes in cellular glutathione status. Results from various studies suggested that copper is capable of activating transcription through both metal- and oxidative stress-mediated mechanisms. However, the molecular mechanisms exploring gene expression induced by copper have still not been adequately described. The role of ROS in mediating the ability of copper to activate MAPK signalling pathways was previously demonstrated using PKC, p38, ERK, and JNK inhibitors. The recent results obtained by fine-tuning of the Urease level of intracellular-copper-induced oxidative stress have shown altered levels of protein binding to AP-1 and ARE. This clearly demonstrates a role for the copper-induced and ROS-mediated activation of MAPK signalling pathways (Mattie et al., 2008). Copper-induced formation of ROS can cause peroxidation of lipids, subsequently leading to an increase in the levels of a signalling molecule HNE (Mattie et al., 2008). HNE acts as a second messenger and may increase the levels of phosphorylation and activation of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase and p38 pathways.