calprotectin
proteinNeutrophil and macrophage-derived calcium-binding protein reflecting active plaque inflammation and thrombotic risk.
Pathway placement
Cascade stepPlaque inflammation
Confidencehigh
RationaleMyeloid S100A8/A9 complex marking plaque instability and neutrophil activation.
Also acts inPlatelet activation
Druggability
Not assessed (no mapped human gene target).
Type I vs Type II discrimination
ScoresLow-confidence (proxy)
R — rupture / Type-I54
C — confounder / Type-II80
A — assay feasibility68
E — evidence strength30
T1DI (composite)8
Specificity differential (R−C)-26.3
Confounder panel (Type-II drivers)
No confounder evidence retrieved.
Tier: light (literature co-occurrence proxy — lower confidence). See the discrimination table for all markers.
Assay & specimen
Class-level default (no specific cleared assay)— generic method inferred from analyte class; confirm against a specific product insert before use.
Specimen
Serum or plasma
Collection tube
Serum separator (gold/red-top, SST) · K2/K3-EDTA (lavender-top)
Method / principle
Sandwich immunoassay (ELISA) — research-grade unless a cleared assay exists
Reagent / substrate
Matched anti-target antibody pair (capture + labeled detection)
Platform
ELISA microplate or multiplex (Luminex/MSD)
Turnaround · availability
Send-out / research · Research-grade (no universal clinical assay)
Literature evidence(7)
- Epidemiological and Translational Study of Calprotectin and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease.JAMA cardiology · 2025 · PMID 40332890 · doi
- S100A8/A9 as a prognostic biomarker with causal effects for post-acute myocardial infarction heart failure.Nature communications · 2024 · PMID 38538601 · doi
- Plasma calprotectin was associated with platelet activation and no-reflow phenomenon in acute coronary syndrome.BMC cardiovascular disorders · 2020 · PMID 33036574 · doi
- Coronary neutrophil extracellular trap burden and deoxyribonuclease activity in ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome are predictors of ST-segment resolution and infarct size.Circulation research · 2014 · PMID 25547404 · doi
- Role of calprotectin in cardiometabolic diseases.Cytokine & growth factor reviews · 2014 · PMID 24560084 · doi
- Long-term prognostic utility of PAPP-A and calprotectin in suspected acute coronary syndrome.Scandinavian cardiovascular journal : SCJ · 2013 · PMID 23406538 · doi
- Myeloid-related protein 8/14 and the risk of cardiovascular death or myocardial infarction after an acute coronary syndrome in the Pravastatin or Atorvastatin Evaluation and Infection Therapy: Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (PROVE IT-TIMI 22) trial.American heart journal · 2007 · PMID 18082488 · doi