C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
A blood protein that rises rapidly in response to inflammation. CRP is used as a general marker of inflammatory activity and infection severity. It may be monitored during treatment with immune-modulating peptide drugs to assess inflammatory response.
Technical Context
CRP is an acute-phase protein synthesised by hepatocytes in response to IL-6 stimulation. It rises rapidly (within 6-8 hours) and dramatically (up to 1000-fold) during acute infection/inflammation, then falls quickly (half-life ~19 hours) when inflammation resolves. High-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP): measures low-level CRP (0.1-10 mg/L range) as a cardiovascular risk biomarker — hs-CRP <1 mg/L (low risk), 1-3 mg/L (moderate), >3 mg/L (high cardiovascular risk). hs-CRP reflects the chronic low-grade inflammation underlying atherosclerosis. GLP-1 RAs may reduce hs-CRP through: weight loss (reducing inflammatory adipokine production), improved insulin sensitivity, and potential direct anti-inflammatory effects. Some peptide drug trials include hs-CRP as a secondary endpoint reflecting the anti-inflammatory component of metabolic improvement.