Clinical Information

Ceruloplasmin is a positive acute-phase reactant and a copper-binding protein that accounts for over 95% of serum copper in normal adults. Ceruloplasmin is measured primarily to assist with a diagnosis of Wilson disease. Other indications include Menkes disease, dietary copper insufficiency, and risk of cardiovascular disease.

Wilson disease is a rare inherited disorder of copper transport that results in low serum copper and ceruloplasmin, and accumulation of copper in various tissues. The pathological accumulation of copper in the liver, brain, cornea, and kidney cause cirrhosis, neuropsychiatric symptoms, Kayser-Fleischer rings, and hematuria/proteinuria.

Menkes disease is an X-linked disorder in which dietary copper is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract but cannot be transported, so copper is not available to the liver for incorporation into ceruloplasmin.

Dietary ceruloplasmin deficiency may be due to inadequate dietary copper intake, long-term parenteral nutrition without copper supplementation, malabsorption, penicillamine therapy, or a combination of these.