Review article

Eosinophil catonic protein – current concepts and controversies

Renata Zrinski Topic orcid.org/0000-0002-3740-7854 ; Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis, Srebrnjak Children’s Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is a heterogeneous molecule originating from activated eosinophil granulocytes. Biological activity and the cellular content of ECP are determined by genetic and pos-ttranslational factors. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in human ECP gene (RNASE3) have been described so far. ECP is a mediator in host immune response to parasites, bac-teria and viruses. By its cytotoxic and non-cytotoxic activity, ECP may also cause side-effects in the host’s own tissues. The largest number of clinical studies is focused on the role of ECP in eosinophil-related disorders, particularly in asthma. Although present in numerous body fluids, difficult bioavailability of biological material, invasive sampling methods and complex sample management prior to ECP level determination are the reasons that serum is most commonly used in routine laboratory practice. As numerous biological and methodological preanalytical factors (the type of col-lection test-tube, temperature and duration of blood clotting, centrifugation, hemolysis) may affect test result, the sample for serum ECP determination should be collected under standardized conditions. Regarding interpretation of results, it is necessary, along with absolute ECP concentration values, to monitor changes in ECP concentration during the duration of disease or after implemented therapy, and interpret ECP test result in combination with other laboratory and clinical findings.
Rational approach to selection of new tests is indeed one of important requirements that medical workers meet today. To enable them to determine the clinical significance of ECP with better certainty, further studies on a large number of specific patient groups are needed.

Keywords

eosinophil cationic protein; polymorphism; cytotoxicity; asthma

Hrčak ID:

69653

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/69653

Publication date:

15.6.2011.

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