Cyclic pyranopterin monophosphate (cPMP) is an experimental treatment for molybdenum cofactor deficiency

Molybdenum cofactor deficiency

Molybdenum cofactor deficiency is a human disease. Absence of molybdenum cofactor leads to accumulation of toxic levels of sulphite and neurological damage usually leading to death within months of birth, due to the lack of active sulfite oxidase...

 type A, which was developed by the pioneering work of Jose Santamaría-Araujo, PhD and Prof.Dr. Schwarz at the german universities TU Braunschweig and the University of Cologne.

cPMP is a precursor to molybdenum cofactor

Molybdenum cofactor

Molybdenum cofactor is a cofactor required for the activity of enzymes such as sulfite oxidase, xanthine oxidoreductase, and aldehyde oxidase. It is a coordination complex formed between molybdopterin and an oxide of molybdenum.Molybdopterins, in turn, are synthesized from guanosine triphosphate...

, which is required for the enyzme activity of sulfite oxidase

Sulfite oxidase

Sulfite oxidase is an enzyme in the mitochondria of all eukaryotes. It oxidizes sulfite to sulfate and, via cytochrome c, transfers the electrons produced to the electron transport chain, allowing generation of ATP in oxidative phosphorylation...

, xanthine dehydrogenase/oxidase and aldehyde oxidase

Aldehyde oxidase

Aldehyde oxidase is an enzyme which generates carboxylic acids from aldehydes. It catalyzes the conversion of an aldehyde in the presence of oxygen and water to an acid and hydrogen peroxide.* an aldehyde + H2O + O2 a carboxylate + H2O2 + H+...

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External links

• Guenter Schwarz Laboratory, Institute for Biochemistry - University of Cologne (english, german)