Frontiers in Immunology publication: suPAR as a Biomarker of Systemic Chronic Inflammation

10 properties and characteristics that are shared by the blood protein suPAR and SCI, supporting the argument that suPAR is a biomarker of SCI

Systemic chronic inflammation (SCI) is persistent, health-damaging, low-grade inflammation that plays a major role in immunosenescence and in the development and progression of many diseases. But currently, there are no recognized standard biomarkers to assess SCI levels alone, and SCI is typically measured by combining biomarkers of acute inflammation and infection, e.g., CRP, IL‐6, and TNFα.

Unlike standard markers of inflammation, which measure acute responses, suPAR offers a novel approach to assessing SCI due to its unique properties:

1. Immune activation increases suPAR expression and release.
2. Both uPAR and suPAR promote inflammation.
3. suPAR levels reflect circulating immune cell amounts.
4. suPAR correlates with established inflammatory markers.
5. Acute changes minimally impact suPAR, unlike other systemic inflammation markers.
6. suPAR links to multiple diseases, mirroring SCI’s non-specific nature.
7. Both suPAR and SCI predict health risks and mortality.
8. suPAR shares risk factors with SCI.
9. suPAR indicates inflammation risks and outcomes better than other markers.
10. Anti-inflammatory treatments can lower suPAR levels.

SuPAR stands out as a stable indicator of inflammation and immune activation, sharing risk factors with, and forecasting, age-related diseases. Its association with a broad range of conditions, including kidney disease, cardiovascular issues, cancer, diabetes, and inflammatory diseases, suggests it marks a common disease process underlying many conditions. Therefore, suPAR could be a critical biomarker for SCI, offering insights into disease risks and overall health.

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