Results for C-reactive protein
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C-reactive protein

  ('rē-ăk'tĭv) pronunciation
n.

A globulin that appears in the blood in certain acute inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatic fever, bacterial infections, and neoplastic diseases.

[C-(polysaccharide) reactive.]


 
 
Sports Science and Medicine: C-reactive protein

A protein in blood serum involved in inflammatory reactions and general resistance to bacterial infection. Overtraining may reduce serum CRP, increasing susceptibility to infections.

 
Veterinary Dictionary: C-reactive protein

A serum protein produced in response to inflammation, infection or tissue damage; abbreviated CRP. It is immunosuppressive, promotes phagocytosis, inhibits platelets and activates complement.

 
Wikipedia: C-reactive protein
CRP_pretty.png
CRP drawn from PDB 1B09
Identifiers
Symbol CRP
Entrez 1401
HUGO 2367
OMIM 123260
RefSeq NM_000567
UniProt P02741
Other data
Locus Chr. 1 q21-q23

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a plasma protein, an acute phase protein produced by the liver. It is a member of the pentraxin family of proteins. It should not be confused with C-peptide or Protein C.

History and nomenclature

C-reactive protein was originally discovered by Tillett and Francis in 1930 as a substance in the serum of patients with acute inflammation that reacted with the C polysaccharide of pneumococcus [1]. Initially it was thought that CRP might be a pathogenic secretion, as it was elevated in people with a variety of illnesses, including carcinomas. Discovery of hepatic synthesis and secretion of CRP closed that debate

Genetics and biochemistry

The CRP gene is located on the first chromosome (1q21-q23). CRP is a 224 residue protein [2] with a monomer molar mass of 25106 Da. The protein is an annular pentameric disc in shape. Proteins with this type of configuation are known as pentraxins. Native CRP is a bit different as it has 10-subunits making two pentameric discs, with an overall molecular mass of 251060 Da.

Function

CRP is a member of the class of acute phase reactants as its levels rise dramatically during inflammatory processes occurring in the body. This increment is due to a rise in the plasma concentration of IL-6, which is produced in macrophages, endothelial cells and T-cells. CRP binds to phosphorylcholine on microbes. It is thought to assist in complement binding to foreign and damaged cells and enhances phagocytosis by macrophages, which express a receptor for CRP. It is also believed to play an important role in innate immunity, as an early defense system against infections.

Diagnostic use

CRP is used mainly as a marker of inflammation. Measuring and charting C-reactive protein values can prove useful in determining disease progress or the effectiveness of treatments. Blood, usually collected in a serum-separating tube, is analysed in a medical laboratory or at the point of testing.

Various analytical methods are available for CRP determination, such as ELISA, immunoturbidimetry, rapid immunodiffusion and visual agglutination.

Viral infections tend to give a lower CRP level than bacterial infection.

Cardiology diagnostic test

C-reactive protein blood test[3]

Low risk: <1mg/L
High risk: >3mg/L
How to lower: Exercise, stop smoking, flaxseed, aspirin, niacin, statins, alcohol, clean teeth

Role in cardiovascular disease

Recent research suggests that patients with elevated basal levels of CRP are at an increased risk for diabetes[4], hypertension and cardiovascular disease. A study of over 700 nurses showed that those in the highest quartile of trans fat consumption had blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP, a pro-inflammatory cytokine which is a cardiovascular disease risk factor) that were 73% higher than those in the lowest quartile[5] Although one group of researchers indicated that CRP may only be a moderate risk factor for cardiovascular disease [6], this study (known as the Reykjavik Study) was found to have some problems for this type of analysis related to the characteristics of the population studied, and there was an extremely long follow-up time which may have attenuated the association between CRP and future outcomes [7]. Others have shown that CRP can exacerbate ischemic necrosis in a complement-dependent fashion and that CRP inhibition can be a safe and effective therapy for myocardial and cerebral infarcts[8].

To measure the CRP level, a "high-sensitivity" CRP or hs-CRP test needs to be performed and analyzed by a laboratory. This is an automated blood test designed for greater accuracy in measuring low levels of CRP, which allows the physician to assess cardiovascular risk. If a result in the low-risk range is found ( < 1 mg/L), it does not need repeating. Higher levels need repeating, and clinical evaluation as necessary.

Role in colon cancer

The role of inflammation in cancer is not well known. Some organs of the body show greater risk of cancer when they are chronically inflamed.

Blood samples of persons with colon cancer have an average CRP concentration of 2.69 milligrams per liter. Persons without colon cancer average 1.97 milligrams per liter. The difference was statistically significant [9]. These findings concur with previous studies that indicate that anti-inflammatory drugs could lower colon cancer risk [10].

See also

Additional images

References

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    Copyrights:

    Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
    Sports Science and Medicine. The Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science & Medicine. Copyright © Michael Kent 1998, 2006, 2007. All rights reserved.  Read more
    Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
    Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "C-reactive protein" Read more

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