Journal article
Transitional changes in the structure of C-reactive protein create highly pro-inflammatory molecules: Therapeutic implications for cardiovascular diseases
J Zeller, B Bogner, JD McFadyen, J Kiefer, D Braig, G Pietersz, G Krippner, TL Nero, CJ Morton, KSCT Shing, MW Parker, K Peter, SU Eisenhardt
Pharmacology and Therapeutics | Published : 2022
Abstract
C-reactive protein (CRP) is the prototypic acute-phase reactant that has long been recognized almost exclusively as a marker of inflammation and predictor of cardiovascular risk. However, accumulating evidence indicates that CRP is also a direct pathogenic pro-inflammatory mediator in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. The ‘CRP system’ consists of at least two protein conformations with distinct pathophysiological functions. The binding of the native, pentameric CRP (pCRP) to activated cell membranes leads to a conformational change resulting in two highly pro-inflammatory isoforms, pCRP* and monomeric CRP (mCRP). The deposition of these pro-inflammatory isoforms has been shown to ..
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Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Acknowledgements
This work was supported by a seed grant from the Baker Department of Cardiometabolic Health, University of Melbourne and by grants to SUE from the German Research Foundation (DFG: EI 866/1-1, EI 866/1-2 and EI 866/10-1). Funding from the Victorian Government Operational Infrastructure Support Scheme to St Vincent's Institute and the Baker Institute is acknowledged. JDM is supported as a Fellow of the National Heart Foundation of Australia. JDM, MWP and KP are supported as Research Fellows/Senior Investigators at the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia. SUE is a Heisenberg Professor of the DFG (EI 866/4-1 and EI 866/9-1).