C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and Autoimmune Disease: Facts and Conjectures
C-reactive protein (CRP) is a blood component comprised of five identical subunits with a combined molecular mass of 110 kDa; in the presence of Ca++ it binds phosphocholine (PC) with high affinity. Ligand-bound CRP activates complement and the protein reportedly...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2004-01-01
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| Series: | Clinical and Developmental Immunology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17402520400001751 |
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| author | Alexander J. Szalai |
| author_facet | Alexander J. Szalai |
| author_sort | Alexander J. Szalai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | C-reactive protein (CRP) is a blood component comprised of five identical
subunits with a combined molecular mass of 110 kDa; in the presence of Ca++
it binds phosphocholine (PC) with high affinity. Ligand-bound CRP activates
complement and the protein reportedly binds various Fc receptors. Coincident
with a now decade-long resurgence in clinical interest in associations of CRP with
disease, our laboratory has been investigating the biology of CRP in vivo using
human CRP transgenic mice (CRPtg). At that time we confirmed that CRP affects
a host defense function mediated at least in part through the elimination of
pathogens. Less appreciated and not as well understood as CRP's ability to bind
antigen and aid in the elimination of microbes, is its known ability to bind
autoantigens and presumed capacity to promote clearance of apoptotic cells. These
latter properties of CRP have long been suspected to contribute to homeostasis and
to autoimmune disease. In this article we review and update the evidence
generated in CRPtg by our group and in vitro by others' that indicates CRP is more
than just an antimicrobial molecule and convenient marker of inflammation - rather,
it protects against autoimmunity. A mechanistic
hypothesis is presented to account for this cause-and-effect relationship. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1bb4474b3bc54303b129106e0ee1564e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1740-2522 1740-2530 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2004-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical and Developmental Immunology |
| spelling | doaj-art-1bb4474b3bc54303b129106e0ee1564e2025-02-03T06:12:32ZengWileyClinical and Developmental Immunology1740-25221740-25302004-01-0111222122610.1080/17402520400001751C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and Autoimmune Disease: Facts and ConjecturesAlexander J. Szalai0Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USAC-reactive protein (CRP) is a blood component comprised of five identical subunits with a combined molecular mass of 110 kDa; in the presence of Ca++ it binds phosphocholine (PC) with high affinity. Ligand-bound CRP activates complement and the protein reportedly binds various Fc receptors. Coincident with a now decade-long resurgence in clinical interest in associations of CRP with disease, our laboratory has been investigating the biology of CRP in vivo using human CRP transgenic mice (CRPtg). At that time we confirmed that CRP affects a host defense function mediated at least in part through the elimination of pathogens. Less appreciated and not as well understood as CRP's ability to bind antigen and aid in the elimination of microbes, is its known ability to bind autoantigens and presumed capacity to promote clearance of apoptotic cells. These latter properties of CRP have long been suspected to contribute to homeostasis and to autoimmune disease. In this article we review and update the evidence generated in CRPtg by our group and in vitro by others' that indicates CRP is more than just an antimicrobial molecule and convenient marker of inflammation - rather, it protects against autoimmunity. A mechanistic hypothesis is presented to account for this cause-and-effect relationship.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17402520400001751 |
| spellingShingle | Alexander J. Szalai C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and Autoimmune Disease: Facts and Conjectures Clinical and Developmental Immunology |
| title | C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and Autoimmune Disease: Facts and Conjectures |
| title_full | C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and Autoimmune Disease: Facts and Conjectures |
| title_fullStr | C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and Autoimmune Disease: Facts and Conjectures |
| title_full_unstemmed | C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and Autoimmune Disease: Facts and Conjectures |
| title_short | C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and Autoimmune Disease: Facts and Conjectures |
| title_sort | c reactive protein crp and autoimmune disease facts and conjectures |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17402520400001751 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alexanderjszalai creactiveproteincrpandautoimmunediseasefactsandconjectures |