Copper Deficiency and Elastin Metabolism in Avian Lung

Abstract

Cu deficiency in the chick causes anatomical changes in lung that are characterized by an apparent thinning of the air-blood capillary network of tertiary bronchi. Although the net content of the elastin in lung was not changed significantly by nutritional Cu deficiency, an increase in the lysine content and a decrease in the desmosine content of lung elastin from copper-deficient chicks was demonstrated compared to that from controls. Soluble elastin was increased 2- to 4-fold in lung from Cu-deficient chicks. Nutritional Cu deficiency was used to facilitate the isolation of chick lung tropoelastin. This lung protein appeared to be similar in selected properties to tropoelastin isolated from aorta of Cu-deficient chicks. Elastin in avian lung is possibly subject to limited turnover.