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Marco A. Méndez, Magdalena Araya, Manuel Olivares, Fernando Pizarro, and Mauricio González

Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

Abstract
Previous studies indicated that sex might influence the response to copper exposure. Ceruloplasmin (Cp) is an indicator of Cu status, but it is not clear whether and how it reflects changes of Cu status among healthy individuals. In this study, 82 apparently healthy women and men were chosen from 800individuals because their Cp values belonged to the higher and lower 10% of the group Cp distribution curve. Before and after receiving a supplement of 10mg Cu/day (upper limit of daily intake) for 2months, we performed blood and urinary biochemical measurement of potential Cu markers. We used principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis to identify blood and/or urinary Cu indicators that showed a differential response to copper. Results showed that Cp values in serum represent a reliable indicator to differentiate subgroups within the normal population in their response to Cu exposure. The response depends on Cp values and on sex, such that women with higher and men with lower Cp values exhibit the greatest response. Keywords: copper exposure, discriminant analysis, healthy individuals, principal component analysis. Environ Health Perspect 112: 1654-1657 (2004) . doi:10.1289/ehp.7134 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 17 August 2004]

Address correspondence to M.A. Méndez, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Chile, Macul 5540, Santiago 11, Chile. Telephone: 56-2-678-1545. Fax: 56-2-221-4030. E-mail: mmendez@inta.cl

This investigation was funded by the International Copper Association in the form of an unrestricted research grant.

The authors declare they have no competing financial interests.

Received 26 March 2004 ; accepted 16 August 2004.