What is protein C?
Protein C is a compound present in the human body that exists in an inactive or activated state. In its activated state, protein C plays an essential role in several important biological functions, including blood clotting and programmed cell death. Also known as autoprotrin IIA and XIV's blood coagulation factor, the protein in its inactive state consists of more than 400 amino acids and relies on the presence of substances such as thrombomodulin in the bloodstream for its activation. It is produced in the liver and deficiencies can cause several serious, often fatal conditions. Protein has been used as a therapeutic treatment in the past, but largely fell from kindness due to related serious bleeding risks.
Under normal conditions, protein C is a zymogenic or inactive agent that requires the active presence of certain biological precursors. Once protein C is activated, it plays a key role in facilitating a number of critical biological functions concerning blood coagulatione. These functions include regulation of blood clotting, inflammation, permeability of the walls of blood vessels and apoptosis, or programmed cell death (PCD). It is -i inactive, protein C is a complex combination of dual chain 419 amino acids connected by a peptide activator. Previously mentioned biological precursors, such as the thrombomodulin and endothelial protein C (EPCR) receptor, affect this peptide connection, dividing the chain and activating the protein.
Activated protein C (APC) then works to suppress other substances in the bloodstream to achieve anticoagulant and anti -inflammatory functions. The critical role that APC plays in these basic processes is particularly dangerous in natural protein production. Persons with impaired protein production levels suffer from a significant increase in the risk of potentially fatal thrombosis or the formation of a blood clot. Deficiencies in the production of protein are usually the result of GENeticky factors; Lifestyle and diet generally play insignificant roles. The condition known as resistance to activated protein C, which worsens the effectiveness of activated protein, can also cause conditions such as APC deficiency.
APC therapeutic applications have been used in several studies to treat conditions such as lung injuries, ischemic moves, severe sepsis and type 1 diabetes. It was also investigated as an help in improving the results of pancreatic island transplants. Although the results were generally encouraging, the potential of the resulting uncontrollable bleeding is in many cases unrealistic.