MINIREVIEW
Calprotectin – a Pleiotropic Molecule in
Acute and Chronic Inflammation
I. STŘÍŽ1, I. TREBICHAVSKÝ2
1Department of Immunology, Institute for Clinical and
Experimental Medicine, Prague, 2Division of Immunology and
Gnotobiology, Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech
Republic, Nový Hrádek, Czech Republic
Received February 25, 2003
Accepted August 8, 2003
Summary
Calprotectin (MRP8/14, S100A8/S100A9, 27E10 antigen) is a heterodimer of
two calcium-binding proteins present in the cytoplasm of neutrophils and
expressed on the membrane of monocytes. Upon neutrophil activation or
endothelial adhesion of monocytes, calprotectin is released and may be
detected in serum or body fluids as potentially useful clinical
inflammatory marker. The soluble form of calprotectin provides both
bacteriostatic and cytokine-like effects in the local environment. When
calprotectin metabolism is affected on a systemic level, the zinc-binding
properties of protein may induce severe dysregulation of zinc homeostasis
with severe clinical symptoms. The distribution of membrane form of
calprotectin is restricted to monocytes and immature macrophages and the
presence of calprotectin-positive infiltrating cells reflects the influx
of mononuclear phagocytes to the site of inflammation. Calprotectin
expression and release seems to be of particular importance in immune and
immunopathological reactions.
Key words
Calprotectin • MRP8/14 • S100A8 • S100A9 • Inflammation • Neutrophils
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