Abstract
Calprotectin (CP) is a non-covalent heterodimer formed by the subunits S100A8 (A8) and S100A9 (A9). When neutrophils become activated, undergo disruption, or die, this abundant cytosolic neutrophil protein is released. By fervently chelating trace metal ions that are essential for bacterial development, CP plays an important role in human innate immunity. It also serves as an alarmin by controlling the inflammatory response after it is released. Extracellular concentrations of CP increase in response to infection and inflammation, and are used as a biomarker of neutrophil activation in a variety of inflammatory diseases. Although it has been almost 40 years since CP was discovered, its use in daily pediatric practice is still limited. Current evidence suggests that CP could be used as a biomarker in a variety of pediatric respiratory diseases, and could become a valuable key factor in promoting diagnostic and therapeutic capacity. The aim of this study is to re-introduce CP to the medical community and to emphasize its potential role with the hope of integrating it as a useful adjunct, in the practice of pediatric respiratory medicine.
Highlights
The term calprotectin (CP) was coined only after its role in inflammatory processes in the human body was discovered
These findings indicate that CP, through the secretion of Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and IL-25, promotes allergen-induced Th2type inflammatory responses in airway epithelial cells, and that CP released by epithelial cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases [46]
The study’s major findings were as follows: (1) serum S100A8 heterodimer levels were increased in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients upon admission; (2) serum S100A8 heterodimer levels were positively associated with CAP severity scores; and (3) S100A8 knockdown attenuated the inflammatory cytokines induced by Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in human lung epithelial cells
Summary
In 1965, Moore published an article about newly discovered proteins found in the nervous system of the bovine brain. They were partly soluble in 100% saturated ammonium sulfate, so they were named S100 proteins [1]. The term calprotectin (CP) was coined only after its role in inflammatory processes in the human body was discovered (the terms S100 proteins, S100A8/A9, MRP8/MRP14, calgranulin A and B, which are all synonyms of calprotectin, are still used by some authors). Numerous reports since have emphasized the critical role of CP in human defense mechanisms, and it has been extensively studied as a surrogate marker of inflammatory bowel disease.
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