EFFECT OF PH, PHOSPHATE AND COPPER ON THE INTERACTION OF GLUCOSE WITHALBUMIN

Protein glycation is believed to play an important role in the develop ment of long-term disorders associated with diabetes. Previous studies have shown that copper could activate this process; however, these ex periments were performed under non-physiological conditions. In this s tudy, in vitro experiments were carried out at near-physiological cond itions to examine the catalytic activity of copper on the interaction of albumin with glucose. Changes in pH and phosphate buffering capacit y were shown to affect albumin glycation. Under stable pH conditions, copper activates albumin glycation only at low protein concentrations (< 30 g l(-1)). Copper had no effect on albumin glycation at higher pr otein concentrations probably because the metal is chelated by the pro tein.