Received on September 19, 2008
Accepted on November 20, 2008

Reviews

The Evolving Role of C-Reactive Protein in Atherothrombosis

¹ Laboratory for Atherosclerosis and Metabolic Research, University of California–Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: ishwarlal.jialal{at}ucdmc.ucdavis.edu.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation is pivotal in all phases of atherosclerosis. Among the numerous inflammatory biomarkers, the largest amount of published data supports a role for C-reactive protein (CRP) as a robust and independent risk marker in the prediction of primary and secondary adverse cardiovascular events. In addition to being a risk marker, there is much evidence indicating that CRP may indeed participate in atherogenesis.

CONTENT: In this review, we focus on the role of CRP in promoting atherothrombosis by discussing its effects on endothelial cells, endothelial progenitor cells, monocyte-macrophages, and smooth muscle cells.

CONCLUSIONS: CRP is clearly a risk marker for cardiovascular disease and is recommended for use in primary prevention. In addition, CRP appears also to contribute to atherogenesis. However, much further research is needed, especially in appropriate animal models, to confirm the possible role of CRP in promoting atherothrombosis.