Cuproenzyme

Cuproenzymes are a broad group of enzymes that require copper as an essential cofactor in their catalytic site; they are not a specific single target but encompass multiple distinct enzymes, each with a unique protein structure and biological role. The most prominent cuproenzymes include cytochrome c oxidase (energy production in mitochondria), lysyl oxidase (cross-linking of connective tissue proteins), superoxide dismutase (antioxidant defense), ceruloplasmin (iron metabolism), tyrosinase (melanin synthesis), dopamine β-hydroxylase (neurotransmitter synthesis), and laccase (phenolic oxidation)[3][5][6][9][2][1]. These enzymes are vital for processes like cellular respiration, iron homeostasis, detoxification of reactive oxygen species, synthesis of neurotransmitters and connective tissues, and pigment formation. While some diseases and drugs target the copper requirement of these enzymes (notably in Wilson's Disease or in experimental cancer treatments via cuproptosis), "cuproenzyme" itself is too generic to denote a single druggable target[4][9][3]. The group contains diverse protein families (including oxidases, monooxygenases, and dioxygenases[1][5]), and dysfunction in individual cuproenzymes can contribute to a range of human diseases, especially those involving copper metabolism and homeostasis[3][7][9].

Other names

Copper enzymeCopper-dependent enzymeCopper-containing enzymeCuproprotein

Copper chelation (inhibition of copper-dependent enzymes), Metal-based anticancer therapies by induction of copper-dependent cell death (cuproptosis), Enzyme inhibition