Cystatin C ELISA Kit, Mouse

Cystatin C is a non-glycosylated, basic protein (isoelectric point at pH 9.3) consisting of 120 amino acid residues. As a secreted cysteine protease inhibitor, Cystatin C has a broad spectrum of biological roles in numerous cellular systems, with growth-promoting activity, inflammation down-regulating function, and anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties as well as function in bone resorption, neutrophil chemotaxis. It is involved in numerous and varied processes such as cancer, renal diseases, diabetes, epilepsy and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It also serves as a potent inhibitor of cathepsin B and other human lysosomal cysteine proteases. Cystatin C is also known to be a better marker for renal injury than creatinine.² By inactivating cathepsin protease activity, cystatin C inhibits cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Abnormal serum levels of cystatin C or cathepsin B/cystatin C complex have been suggested as diagnostics and prognostic indicators for cancers of skin, colon and lung. Cystatin C has been suggested to play an important role in neuroendrocrine differentiation of prostate cancer. More recently, serum cystatin C has been proposed as useful marker of increased osteoblastic activity associated to bisphosphonate treatments in prostate cancer patients with bone metastasis.³ In addition, it has been studied for its role in predicting new-onset or deteriorating cardiovascular disease. Cystatin C also seems to play a role in brain disorders involving amyloid (a specific type of protein deposition), such as Alzheimer’s disease.⁴