C-reactive protein (CRP)

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C-reactive protein (CRP)

In acute phase protein, one of the pentraxin

proteins in serum, and is comprised of five amino acid polypeptide subunits that are all the same and arranged in the a disk conformation without covalent bonds..

Human CRP is composed of five identical

polypeptide units non-covalently arranged as a cyclic pentamer.

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Acute phase proteins:

are plasma proteins synthesized by the liver, that increase in concentration during inflammation.

Pentraxin:

are a family of acute phase plasma proteins comprised of five identical globular subunits.
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IL-6 promotes the synthesis and release of C-

reactive protein (CRP) by the liver.

Although present in normal individuals in only

trace (low) amounts in the plasma.

Inflammation induced by bacteria infection,

necrosis of tissue, trauma, or malignant tumors , may cause a striking increase in the serum concentration to levels of up to 2000 times the reference range within 48 hours of the inducing condition.(levels of CRP rapidly increase within 2 hours of acute insult, reaching a peak at 48 hours)..
5/5/12 CRP rises up to 50,000-fold in acute

CRP declines with a relatively short half-life of

18 hours.

Once the condition that induced its elevation

has resolved, the CRP concentration returns to normal within a short time.

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CRP levels signify the extent of the disease

activity.

CRP has the greater sensitivity of any

nonspecific test used in screening for organic disease.

It is much more reliable than is the

erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).

Measuring CRP level is a screen for infectious

and inflammatory diseases.

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CRP readily binds to phosphocholine (a

molecule expressed on some microbes) and acts as an opsonin (physiological role) as Acute phase proteins that:

CRP in one of a set of serum proteins known

1/ inhibit the spread of infectious organisms. 2/ act on the hypothalamus to increase body temperature and produce fever, an effective means of inhibiting microbial growth.
CRP enhancing uptake of microorganisms by 5/5/12

microphages and neutrophils.

The physiological role of CRP is to bind to

phosphocholine expressed on the surface of dead or dying cells (and some types of bacteria) in order to activate the complement system. to foreign and damaged cells and enhances phagocytosis by macrophages (opsonin mediated phagocytosis), which express a receptor for CRP.

It is thought to assist in complement binding

It is also believed to play another important

role in innate immunity, as an early defense 5/5/12 system against infections