title: Dietary copper supplements modulate aortic superoxide dismutase, nitric oxide and atherosclerosis.
abstract: The objective was to test the hypothesis that dietary copper inhibits atherosclerosis by inducing superoxide dismutase (SOD) and potentiating nitric oxide (NO). New Zealand White rabbits were fed either a cholesterol diet (n = 8) or a cholesterol diet containing 0.02% copper acetate (n = 8) for 13 weeks. We found that the intimal area was significantly smaller in the animals supplemented with copper (P < 0.005), although integrated plasma cholesterol levels were not significantly different. This was associated with a significant increase in aortic copper content (P < 0.05), SOD activity (P < 0.05) and Cu/Zn SOD mRNA (P < 0.05) and a significant decrease in nitrotyrosine content (P < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between aortic copper content and SOD activity (P < 0.005, R(2) = 0.83) and a negative correlation between aortic superoxide dimutase activity and nitrotyrosine content (P < 0.005, R(2) = 0.93). In organ bath experiments, the relaxation of precontracted carotid artery rings to calcium ionophore was greater in animals supplemented with copper. No difference in response to sodium nitroprusside was observed. These data suggest that in the cholesterol-fed rabbit, copper supplements inhibit the progression of atherosclerosis by increasing SOD expression, thereby reducing the interaction of NO with superoxide, and hence potentiating NO-mediated pathways that may protect against atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Science and Measurement, School of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, UK.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lamb
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Tickner
authors.forename: Susanna M O
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hourani
authors.forename: Gordon A A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Ferns
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D000001:Calcimycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003300:Copper / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D007476:Ionophores / Q000494:pharmacology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D011817:Rabbits; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism*; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D007476:Ionophores; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C002744:3-nitrotyrosine; D000001:Calcimycin; D014443:Tyrosine; D003300:Copper; D002784:Cholesterol; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase