%0 Journal Article
%T Acute Phase Reactants as Novel Predictors of Cardiovascular Disease
%A M. S. Ahmed
%A A. B. Jadhav
%A A. Hassan
%A Qing H. Meng
%J ISRN Inflammation
%D 2012
%R 10.5402/2012/953461
%X Acute phase reaction is a systemic response which usually follows a physiological condition that takes place in the beginning of an inflammatory process. This physiological change usually lasts 1-2 days. However, the systemic acute phase response usually lasts longer. The aim of this systemic response is to restore homeostasis. These events are accompanied by upregulation of some proteins (positive acute phase reactants) and downregulation of others (negative acute phase reactants) during inflammatory reactions. Cardiovascular diseases are accompanied by the elevation of several positive acute phase reactants such as C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), fibrinogen, white blood cell count, secretory nonpancreatic phospholipase 2-II (sPLA2-II), ferritin, and ceruloplasmin. Cardiovascular disease is also accompanied by the reduction of negative acute phase reactants such as albumin, transferrin, transthyretin, retinol-binding protein, antithrombin, and transcortin. In this paper, we will be discussing the biological activity and diagnostic and prognostic values of acute phase reactants with cardiovascular importance. The potential therapeutic targets of these reactants will be also discussed. 1. Introduction Since 1930, investigators began to investigate the distant changes occur away from the original site(s) of inflammatory process. The discovery of C-reactive protein (CRP) by Tillett and Francis [1] opened this door wide. These distant systemic changes have been referred to as acute phase response regardless whether they follow an acute or a chronic inflammatory process. Acute phase responses are divided according to the concentrations of many plasma proteins known as acute phase proteins. Acute phase proteins can be defined as those whose plasma protein concentration increase with inflammatory reaction (positive acute phase proteins). However, negative acute phase proteins are those whose plasma protein concentrations decrease with inflammatory reaction. Interleukin- (IL-) 6 is the major stimulator of the production of most acute-phase proteins. Acute phase proteins predict and/or reflect the intensity of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular diseases are accompanied by the elevation of several positive acute phase reactants such as CRP, serum amyloid A (SAA), fibrinogen, white blood cell count, secretory nonpancreatic phospholipase 2-II (sPLA2-II), ferritin, and ceruloplasmin. Cardiovascular diseases are also accompanied by the reduction of negative acute phase reactants such as albumin, transferrin, transthyretin, retinol-binding
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.inflammation/2012/953461/