Ceruloplasmin, copper ions, and angiogenesis.
Raju. K S KS; Alessandri. G G; Ziche. M M; Gullino. P M PM
Key Findings
- GHK alone does not induce angiogenesis; copper‑bound GHK (GHK‑Cu) does.
- Fragments of ceruloplasmin also need copper to promote new capillary formation.
- Copper is the critical factor driving angiogenesis, not the carrier protein itself.
Practical Outcomes
- For biohackers, this confirms that using GHK‑Cu (not just GHK) is necessary for any blood‑vessel‑boosting or wound‑healing benefits. It suggests that supplementing copper alongside GHK may be required for efficacy, but also warns that excessive angiogenesis could be a risk in certain contexts (e.g., cancer).
Summary
The study shows that the peptide GHK only works to grow new tiny blood vessels (angiogenesis) when it is attached to a copper ion. The same is true for fragments of the copper‑carrying protein ceruloplasmin and for heparin – they all need copper to trigger blood‑vessel growth in rabbit eyes.
Abstract
The ability to induce new formation of capillaries in the cornea was tested for ceruloplasmin, the copper carrier of serum, for fragments of the ceruloplasmin molecule with and without copper, for heparin, and for glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine, bound or not bound to copper ions. Male or female 2- to 3-kg New Zealand White rabbits were used. These experiments were prompted by the previous observation of copper accumulation in the cornea during angiogenesis and by the inability of copper-deficient rabbits to mount an angiogenic response. The results showed that the three different molecules were all able to induce angiogenesis provided that they were bound to copper. Fragments of the ceruloplasmin molecule also induced angiogenesis but only when copper was bound to the peptides. The data are interpreted to indicate that copper ions are involved in the sequence of events leading to angiogenesis and that the carrier molecules may be of quite a different nature.
Study Information
pubmed
1982