Is monomeric C-reactive Protein located within human serum?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Do current clinical methods for measuring levels of C-reactive protein allow for the presence of monomeric form, which could potentially display an alternative biological role within the human body?
IRAS ID
118182
Contact name
Annette Shrive
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
C-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein found within the blood which is expressed by the body in response to infection, inflammation and tissue damage. CRP is a protein with five subunits (pentameric), and will bind to dead or damaged cells in order to provide an immune response. Levels of CRP can rise up to 100 times from a baseline level of around 1-2mg/L and is routinely used as a marker for infection/inflammation. Evidence suggests that CRP can split up into its single subunits within the body called monomeric CRP. Monomeric CRP has been linked to playing a harmful role in the progression of inflammation and the development of several diseases.
Current methods that are used in order to measure CRP levels within patients may not be able to distinguish between both forms of CRP. Pentameric CRP is known to be a marker of infection and inflammation, but monomeric CRP may display an alternative, potentially harmful, biological role.
CRP will be separated out from human blood and both types of this protein will be separated out based on their size. Using antibodies specific to both forms of CRP, we will be able to detect their presence within the patients’ samples.
The project will involve the recruitment of 40 participants. The serum samples will be obtained from patients with markedly raised levels of CRP (>100mg/L). The samples for our study will be obtained from inpatients that require CRP monitoring as part of their routine clinical care. The unused serum from these blood samples will be utilised for our study and not taken specifically for our study. The aim of this project is to determine whether monomeric CRP can be located within human serum and determine whether further steps may be required in clinical practice when testing for CRP.REC name
South Central - Oxford B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/SC/0179
Date of REC Opinion
24 Mar 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion