Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P06889 (Mol)
 630,302 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

To investigate whether functional polymorphisms exist in the C-reactive protein (CRP) gene, i.e., ones that contribute directly to differences in baseline CRP among individuals, we sequenced a 1,156-nucleotide-long stretch of the CRP gene promoter in 287 ostensibly healthy people. We identified two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), a bi-allelic one at nucleotide -409 (G-->A), and a tri-allelic one at -390 (C-->T-->A), both resident within the hexameric core of transcription factor binding E-box elements. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays confirmed that the SNP within the sequence (-412)CACGTG(-407) (E-box 1) modulates transcription factor binding, and that the one within (-394)CACTTG(-389) (E-box 2) supports transcription factor binding only when the -390 T allele is present. The commonest of four E-box 1/E-box 2 haplotypes (-409G/-390T) identified in the population supported highest promoter activity in luciferase reporter assays, and the rarest one (-409A/-390T) supported the least. Importantly, serum CRP in people with these haplotypes reproduced this rank order, i.e., people with the -409G/-390T haplotype had the highest baseline serum CRP (mean +/- SEM 10.9 +/- 2.25 microg/ml) and people with the -409A/-390T haplotype had the lowest (5.01 +/- 1.56 microg/ml). Furthermore, haplotype-associated differences in baseline CRP were not due to differences in age, sex, or race, and were still apparent in people with no history of smoking. At least two other SNPs in the CRP promoter lie within E-box elements (-198 C-->T, E-box 4, and -861 T-->C, E-box 3), indicating that not only is the quality of E-box sites in CRP a major determinant of baseline CRP level, but also that the number of E-boxes may be important. These data confirm that the CRP promoter does encode functional polymorphisms, which should be considered when baseline CRP is being used as an indicator of clinical outcome. Ultimately, development of genetic tests to screen for CRP expression variants could allow categorization of healthy people into groups at high versus low future risk of inflammatory disease.
J Mol Med (Berl) 2005 Jun
PMID:Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the C-reactive protein (CRP) gene promoter that affect transcription factor binding, alter transcriptional activity, and associate with differences in baseline serum CRP level. 1587 49

C-reactive protein (CRP) that has been conserved throughout evolution is a host-defense molecule. Its attraction towards phosphocholine-ligands, such as modified low-density lipoprotein, and apoptotic cells leads to the "masking" of these substances that have the capabilities to otherwise engage in deleterious activities. Complement activation by CRP complexes and the modulation by CRP of complement activation by its ligands add up to its beneficial effects. In the presence of CRP, production of membrane-damaging last product of the complement pathway is arrested. CRP is currently serving as an indicator of cardiovascular diseases, but to pinpoint the role of CRP in atherosclerosis, a drug that can lower cholesterol levels, but not the CRP levels, is needed for experimentation.
Mol Immunol 2005 May
PMID:CRP after 2004. 1603 77

Diagnosis of early-onset neonatal infection has led to the development of several screening tests including C-reactive protein, a very commonly used marker, and cytokines (mainly interleukin-6 and -8), alone or in combination with C-reactive protein, based on the premise that their increases in response to infection may precede that of C-reactive protein. In recent years the search for diagnostic tests has turned to procalcitonin, a propeptide of calcitonin, which appears to be a promising marker of infection in newborn infants. Additionally, specific leukocyte cell surface antigens (mainly CD11b and CD64), detected by flow cytometry, are evaluated as markers of neonatal infection, since their expression on the cell membrane increases in substantial quantities after leukocyte activation by bacteria or their cellular products. This review aims to examine the role of these newly available immunologic indices and to assess their validity as diagnostic markers of infection during the neonatal period.
Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2005 Mar
PMID:Immunologic markers in the neonatal period: diagnostic value and accuracy in infection. 1583 52

The role of dietary fiber in the prevention of cardiovascular disease has received increasing attention as data have accumulated. Recent cohort studies have found a consistent protective effect of dietary fiber on cardiovascular disease outcomes, prompting many leading organizations to recommend increased fiber in the daily diet. However, the biologic mechanisms explaining how a fiber influences the cardiovascular system have yet to be fully elucidated. Recent research in large national sample in the USA has demonstrated an association between dietary fiber and levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a clinical indicator of inflammation. Epidemiologic evidence demonstrating that high-fiber diets are beneficial, coupled with this newer evidence of a possible metabolic effect on inflammatory markers, suggest that inflammation may be an important mediator in the association between dietary fiber and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This paper reviews the evidence for the connections among inflammation, CRP, dietary fiber, and CVD, and recommends further clinical studies using fiber supplementation to isolate and prospectively confirm these important relationships.
Mol Nutr Food Res 2005 Jun
PMID:Dietary fiber, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease. 1588 88

To assess the value of serial C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) evaluation in the risk stratification in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. The study was designed as a prospective cohort trial with a 1-year follow-up. Eighty patients (70 with stable angina, 10 with unstable angina) were enrolled. Blood samples were collected before the procedure and after 6 and 24 h, and 1 month. Clinical follow-up visits were performed (*with exercise test) 7 days* and 1*, 3, 6* and 12 months after the procedure. Any symptoms of restenosis were verified angiographically. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified increased preprocedural TNF-alpha and CRP levels and elevated CRP concentrations evaluated 24 h after the procedure as significant predictors of both clinical restenosis and major adverse cardiac events (MACE), while high SAA values at 24 h accurately predicted clinical restenosis. Patients, who were in the highest tertile of, either, baseline TNF-alpha and/or baseline CRP/CRP at 24 h, were more prone to develop restenosis and MACE than stratified only on the basis of a single marker. Our data indicate that combined analysis of CRP and TNF-alpha might be an effective approach to the clinical restenosis and MACE prediction. Additionally, long-term outcome is markedly influenced by the periprocedural activation of inflammation.
Int J Mol Med 2005 Jul
PMID:Combined periprocedural evaluation of CRP and TNF-alpha enhances the prediction of clinical restenosis and major adverse cardiac events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions. 1594 95

The recently described family of toll-like receptors (TLRs) is a key player in host immunity by mediating inflammatory reactions against a wide range of pathogens. Mutations and polymorphisms in TLRs have revealed the importance of TLRs in human defence against diseases. TLR-2 is reported to interact with different bacterial structures, including lipoproteins, peptidoglycan and lipoteichoic acid. To assess the role of TLR-2 gene polymorphism in acute rheumatic fever (ARF) etiopathology, 61 independent Caucasian Turkish patients and 91 child and 116 adult controls were studied. Antistreptolycin O, C-reactive protein, sedimentation and white blood cell counts were studied to evaluate the clinical characteristics of the patients. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood using a standard column extraction technique. The Arg753Gln and Arg677Trp polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) restriction fragment length polymorphism. The PCR products for the TLR-2 gene were analysed on 1.5% agarose gel pre-stained with ethidium bromide. Compared with healthy adult controls, the Arg753Arg genotype was significantly decreased in the entire group of ARF cases [odds ratio (OR) 0.01, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.0034-0.031, p<0.0001]. Significantly, ARF patients were just 16 times more frequent with Gln allele (OR 15.6, 95% CI 7.87-30.8, p<0.0001). Moreover, evidence for an intensifying effect of the Gln allele was noteworthy when patients with Arg753Gln genotype were compared with healthy controls (OR 97.1, 95% CI 32.5-290, p<0.0001). However, no Arg677Trp polymorphism was detected in either patients or controls. Our data suggest that there is strong evidence for the biological role of TLR-2 in ARF. The common TLR-2 Arg to Gln polymorphism at position 753 significantly contributes to the pathogenesis of ARF. These results will allow the construction of a profile of individuals prone to ARF and may assist in developing new therapies.
J Mol Med (Berl) 2005 Jul
PMID:TLR-2 gene Arg753Gln polymorphism is strongly associated with acute rheumatic fever in children. 1597 15

C-reactive protein (CRP) is made in liver and its serum concentration increases in inflammation. Measurement of serum CRP is recommended for use as an indicator of inflammation and predictor of atherosclerosis. Cholesterol-lowering drugs statins also lower CRP. To evaluate statin-mediated CRP reduction and to reassess clinical usefulness of CRP, we investigated regulation of CRP gene expression. Here, we show that pravastatin and simvastatin prevent the induction of CRP expression in human hepatoma Hep3B cells exposed to proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-1beta The nitric oxide (NO) donor, sodium nitroprusside, also prevented the induction of CRP expression while the CRP inducers IL-6 and IL-1beta were present with the cells. The effect of NO on CRP expression was at the level of transcription. These findings suggest that the decrease in CRP level in vivo after statin-treatment does not necessarily reflect absence of inflammation, and that NO-releasing drugs have the potential to reduce serum CRP levels. Thus, the measurement of serum CRP levels alone in individuals on statin/NO-therapy is not as useful as was imagined.
Mol Immunol 2006 Mar
PMID:Statins and nitric oxide reduce C-reactive protein production while inflammatory conditions persist. 1605 96

Haptoglobin (Hp), a hemoglobin-binding protein, is known as an acute phase protein and increases during the acute phase of inflammation in most mammals. We reported previously in brown bears that the mean Hp concentrations were higher in blood samples obtained in winter than those in spring. To examine a possible relation of the seasonal variations of Hp to hibernation, in the present study, we measured the plasma concentrations of Hp as well as some other acute phase proteins (alpha(2)-macroglobulin, alpha(1)-antitrypsin, C-reactive protein) in 6 European brown bears (Ursus arctos), from which blood samples were obtained at 5-6 different months of year including February, the time of hibernation. The Hp concentrations showed clear seasonal variations, being highest in February. The alpha(2)-macroglobulin concentrations also showed a similar but much smaller rise in February, but those of alpha(1)-antitrypsin and C-reactive protein did not show any seasonal variations. Our results suggest that the seasonal variation of plasma Hp concentration in brown bears is associated with a hibernation-specific mechanism more than that of acute phase response.
Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2005 Dec
PMID:Elevated plasma concentrations of haptoglobin in European brown bears during hibernation. 1628 71

Filaggrin is expressed in the cornified layer of epidermis and known to be one of the antigenic targets in rheumatoid arthritis. Although the citrulline residue in filaggrin is thought to be an antigenic determinant recognized by autoantibodies, the diagnostic sensitivity of synthetic citrullinated peptide is variable. To investigate the implication of anti-filaggrin antibodies recognizing uncitrullinated filaggrin in rheumatoid arthritis, we assayed antibody titers using unmodified recombinant filaggrin in the sera from 73 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 150 patients with other connective tissue diseases and 70 normal controls. We also performed the correlation analysis between antibody titers and the clinical variables in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Titers of IgG anti-filaggrin antibodies were significantly higher in rheumatoid arthritis patients compared to normal controls (P=0.02), but not in patients with osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis or systemic lupus erythematosus. IgG anti-filaggrin antibodies were more frequently found in patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared to normal controls (12.3% vs 1.4% respectively, P=0.04). An anti-filaggrin antibody titer was correlated with visual analogue scale of pain, tender joint count, Ritchie articular index or C-reactive protein, but not with anti-nuclear antibody or rheumatoid factor. These results suggest that anti-filaggrin antibody recognizes the uncitrullinated filaggrin as an antigen and its titer correlates with clinical parameters, explaining the variable sensitivity of anti-filaggrin antibody test.
Exp Mol Med 2005 Dec 31
PMID:Clinical significance of anti-filaggrin antibody recognizing uncitrullinated filaggrin in rheumatoid arthritis. 1639 15

C-reactive protein (CRP) contributes to the process of atherosclerosis by inducing pro-inflammatory changes in endothelial cells. However, the exact receptor involved in CRP-induced endothelial changes remains unclear. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) were used for the experiments. After incubation with CRP, immunoblotting showed a significant decrease of IkappaB protein and electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed a significant increase of nuclear NF-kappaB binding capacity. These changes were associated with a significant increase of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression. The mRNA level of CD32, the major binding protein for CRP in endothelial cells, increased significantly as measured by Northern blot and Western blot. When these cells were transfected with siRNA directed against CD32, the mRNA of CD32 decreased significantly. The IkappaB degradation, NF-kappaB nuclear translocation and VCAM-1 up-regulation induced by CRP were all inhibited by treatment with siRNA against CD32. SB203580, a P38 inhibitor, significantly attenuated the CRP-induced responses while SP600125 (c-jun kinase inhibitor) did not. In conclusion, CRP-induced IkappaB degradation, NF-kappaB nuclear translocation and VCAM-1 protein expression in HUVECs and HAECs. CRP also increased the expression of CD32, which might serve as the receptor for CRP in endothelial cells and mediated the effects of CRP.
J Mol Cell Cardiol 2006 Mar
PMID:C-reactive protein activates the nuclear factor-kappaB pathway and induces vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression through CD32 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and aortic endothelial cells. 1643 Sep 14


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