Copper homeostasis and cuproptosis in health and disease

As an essential micronutrient, copper is required for a wide range of physiological processes in virtually all cell types. Here, we summarize our current knowledge regarding copper metabolism, copper-related disease, the characteristics of cuproptosis, and the mechanisms that regulate cuproptosis.

⚡ This is an original paraphrased summary — not copied from the abstract. Full paper available at the source link below.

• 1 Because the accumulation of intracellular copper can induce oxidative stress and perturbing cellular function, copper homeostasis is tightly regulated.
• 2 Recent studies identified a novel copper-dependent form of cell death called cuproptosis, which is distinct from all other known pathways underlying cell death.
• 3 Cuproptosis occurs via copper binding to lipoylated enzymes in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, which leads to subsequent protein aggregation, proteotoxic stress, and ultimately cell death.

Understanding this could lead to better treatments, improved diagnostics, or a deeper grasp of how the human body works — benefiting patient care globally.

This summary is based on publicly available metadata and abstract. For the full research paper, visit the original source: