title: Validation of a high-sensitivity assay for C-reactive protein in human saliva.
abstract: This study aimed to validate a high-sensitivity assay for C-reactive protein (CRP) in saliva as an alternative medium to study inflammation in large epidemiological cohorts and young people. We measured CRP in saliva and serum in 61 (29.5% males) healthy adult volunteers. We found a moderate-to-strong association between CRP measured in saliva and in serum (r=.72, p<.001). In agreement with the non-steroidal structure and the high molecular weight of CRP, we observed a low saliva-to-serum CRP ratio (1:1633.64). Furthermore, a dichotomous index of salivary CRP, equivalent to a clinically relevant serum CRP cut-off (3mg/l), was associated to known correlates of systemic inflammation (IL-6, BMI and smoking). Finally, we showed that CRP in saliva is stable at room temperature up to 8h after collection. Our study provides initial evidence suggesting that non-invasive assessment of CRP in saliva allows valid prediction of serum CRP. Salivary CRP may thus facilitate and promote research exploring the correlates of low-grade inflammation in epidemiological studies and makes it feasible to expand psychoneuroimmunology research to pediatric populations.
authors.affiliation: MRC Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London SE58AF, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ouellet-Morin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Danese
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arseneault
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein