C-Reactive Protein Plays a Protective Role in Multiple Myeloma

Cancer researchers have found that C-reactive protein (CRP) plays a critical regulatory role in the development of multiple myeloma and may be an attractive target for future drug development.

CRP is a member of the class of acute phase reactants, as its levels in the blood rise dramatically during inflammatory processes occurring in the body. It is thought to assist in complement binding to foreign and damaged cells and to enhance phagocytosis. It is also believed to play an important role in innate immunity as an early defense system against infections.

Investigators at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, TX, USA) studied the relationship between CRP and multiple myeloma both in tissue culture and in a mouse model of the disease.

They reported in the September 2007 issue of Cancer Cell that treatment of cancer cell cultures with CRP at levels observed in patients with multiple myeloma promoted cell proliferation and protected myeloma cells from chemotherapy-induced apoptosis and apoptosis induced by IL-6 withdrawal. CRP enhanced secretion of IL-6; bound activating Fc-gamma receptors; activated the PI3K/Akt, ERK, and NF-kB pathways; and inhibited caspase cascade activation induced by chemotherapy drugs. Furthermore, CRP was shown to synergize with IL-6 in protecting myeloma cells from apoptosis.

"CRP protects myeloma cells from apoptosis induced by chemotherapy drugs and stimulates myeloma cells to secrete more IL-6, which in turn provides additional protection to myeloma from apoptosis and stimulates liver cells to secrete more CRP. Thus, CRP could be a therapeutic target for breaking the vicious circle of myeloma to improve the therapeutic efficacy of currently available treatments,” explained senior author Dr. Qing Yi, associate professor of medicine at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.


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