High ceruloplasmin levels in rats without high lipoprotein oxidation rates.

The serum copper protein ceruloplasmin, though sometimes considered an antioxidant, can promote lipoprotein oxidation in vitro under certain conditions. However, an inflammation-induced, two week elevation of rat serum ceruloplasmin levels did not render low plus very low density lipoproteins more prone to oxidation in vitro. Thus, high ceruloplasmin levels in vivo are not necessarily associated with high lipoprotein oxidation rates.