Cuproptosis is a newly discovered form of cell death. Similar to ferroptosis, cuproptosis is a cell death process caused by metal ions (copper ions). The discovery of cuproptosis provides a new perspective for understanding cell death mechanisms and developing new therapeutic strategies. Below are the detailed characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of cuproptosis:
u Copper ion accumulation: The level of copper ions inside the cell significantly increases. These copper ions can participate in various biochemical reactions within the cell, leading to cellular damage.
u Mitochondrial damage: The accumulation of copper ions, especially in the mitochondria, leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and affects cellular energy metabolism.
u Protein damage: Copper ions can bind to proteins within the cell, causing protein inactivation and affecting normal cellular physiological functions.
u Cellular morphological changes: Cells undergoing cuproptosis typically exhibit characteristics such as reduced cell volume, mitochondrial atrophy, and loss of cell membrane integrity.
u Copper ion transport: The accumulation of copper ions inside the cell is mainly mediated by copper ion transport proteins (such as CTR1) that facilitate copper uptake, as well as the distribution and storage of copper ions within the cell.
u Mitochondrial function: The accumulation of copper ions in the mitochondria leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and affects cellular energy metabolism. Mitochondria are one of the key targets of cuproptosis.
u Protein modification: Copper ions can bind to proteins within the cell, causing oxidative modifications and inactivation of proteins. These modifications include oxidation, cross-linking, and polymerization.
u Antioxidant system: The antioxidant system within the cell, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), plays an important regulatory role in cuproptosis. A decrease in the activity of these antioxidant enzymes increases the cell's sensitivity to cuproptosis.
Voisey
Voisey is a technical support specialist at EnkiLife, proficient in immunology and cell biology. She is committed to providing customers with professional and efficient technical support. Additionally, she is involved in research on customers' fields of study and designs highly cost-effective solutions for them.
