Background
Calprotectin consists of mammalian proteins S100A8 and S100A9 and is a 24 kDa dimer1 . It is secreted during the inflammatory response in the intestinal lumen through leukocyte shedding, active secretion, cell disturbance, and cell death. Thus, elevated fecal calprotectin levels are correlated with migration of neutrophils into the intestinal mucosa
Quantitative determination of fecal calprotectin is an indication of the severity of bowel inflammation. High levels of calprotectin in stool are associated with an increased risk of relapse in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Low stool calprotectin levels correlate well with a low risk for intestinal allograft injection. Clinical applications may include aiding in the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and Crohn’s disease.
This assay uses specific monoclonal antibodies to ensure that only calprotectin is detected.
