Copper Toxicity and RP

I found the articles below interesting in light of the Vitamin A data from the early 1990s. Zinc is required to metabolize Vitamin A. If copper levels are high, zinc is low, which would explain the need for excess Vitamin A. Supplementing with Vitamin A has been advised for years. However, there are limitations because of its potential toxicity. So, if there were an issue with the metabolism of trace minerals which impact Vitamin A utilization, then there would be some interesting possible therapeutic potential.

Copper Toxicity and RP:

http://www.ijo.in/article.asp?issn=0301-4738;year=1979;volume=27;issue=4;spage=170;epage=173;aulast=Gahlot

Study of American patients showing no abnormality of copper metabolism:

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1043173

Relationship between zinc and copper:

http://www.drkaslow.com/html/zinc-copper_imbalances.html

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/zinc/

Vitamin A and zinc, metabolic relationship:

http://64.233.179.104/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=cache:2GP9vDa9av4J:www.idpas.org/pdf/2917_Zinc_vitaminA_interaction.pdf+author:%22Christian%22+intitle:%22Interactions+between+zinc+and+vitamin+A:+an+update%22+

Chinese abstract on zinc and RP:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2289582

Taurine is interesting in that, cats deprived of taurine will develop a condition similar to RP over time. In Australia, they accidentally received dog food in bags marked as cat food. Apparently the dog food did not have taurine in it and the cats require taurine for normal vision. They developed a disease similar in nature to what we call RP.

So, some researchers tested the blood levels of RP patients for taurine levels. The levels were normal, but apparently the uptake is not. So something in the pathway involving the metabolism of this amino acid is not functioning. In the post entitled "Successful Reversal of RP", taurine was used.

Also, in developing countries, people will go blind simply because they do not have adequate Vitamin A intake. It is interesting that, to date, the only research that has resulted in a therapy that helps some people, some of the time, is based on large doses of Vitamin A. That seems to be a cue to a metabolic issue (s) at least for some people with the diverse group of genetic mutations that contribute to a full blown case of RP.

Taurine Uptake and RP:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/85058

http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/content/full/16/2/231

http://bjo.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/66/12/771

Vitamin A and the chemistry of vision:

http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/532vitaminA.html