title: Immunoanalytical characteristics of C-reactive protein and high sensitivity C-reactive protein.
abstract: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a polypeptide molecule belonging to the family of pentraxins. It has a molecular mass of 120,000 daltons and consists of five identical sub-units that contain each 206 amino acids. CRP is synthesized primarily by the liver in response to certain pro-inflammatory cytokines. It plays an important role in innate immunity, opsonization by its properties, complement activation and immunoglobulins receptor binding. CRP is a protein of the acute systemic inflammation and is, therefore, a prime marker of inflammation. As atherosclerosis has an inflammatory component, CRP can appreciate cardiovascular risk when analysed by more sensitive assays, that are able to measure extremely low concentrations of CRP, called high sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP). The CRP is quantified by immunonephelometry or immunoturbidimetry. There is no standard technique. The hs-CRP quantification is based on immunonephelemetry sensitized techniques called "immunolatex". We present in this paper the main biochemical and physiological data related to CRP, explaining the need for its quantification, the problems encountered in immunoassay and the interpretation of results.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'analyses médicales, Centre hospitalier universitaire Mohamed-VI, Marrakech, Maroc.
authors.forename: Mariame
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moutachakkir
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'analyses médicales, Centre hospitalier universitaire Mohamed-VI, Marrakech, Maroc.
authors.forename: Asma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lamrani Hanchi
authors.affiliation: Service de biochimie, Hôpital militaire Avicenne, Ménara-Guéliz, Marrakech, Maroc.
authors.forename: Azzedine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baraou
authors.affiliation: Service de biochimie, Hôpital militaire Avicenne, Ménara-Guéliz, Marrakech, Maroc.
authors.forename: Abderrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boukhira
authors.affiliation: Service de biochimie, Hôpital militaire Avicenne, Ménara-Guéliz, Marrakech, Maroc.
authors.forename: Saliha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chellak
mesh_terms: D000915:Antibody Affinity / Q000502:physiology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D007159:Immunologic Tests / Q000379:methods*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: C-reactive protein; cardiovascular risk; immunoassay; inflammation; ultrasensitive C-reactive protein