From the Guidelines
S100 panels can help identify inflammation in various body areas or organs, but they do not specifically pinpoint which exact organ or body area is inflamed. S100 proteins are calcium-binding proteins found in various cell types, with S100B being particularly abundant in glial cells of the central nervous system and S100A8/A9 (calprotectin) found in neutrophils and monocytes. When tissue damage or inflammation occurs, these proteins are released into the bloodstream. Elevated S100 levels generally indicate the presence of inflammation or tissue damage somewhere in the body, but additional diagnostic tests such as imaging studies (CT scans, MRIs), tissue biopsies, or more specific blood tests would be needed to determine the exact location of inflammation. For example, while elevated S100B might suggest neurological inflammation or injury, and high calprotectin levels might indicate gastrointestinal inflammation, these markers alone cannot definitively identify which specific organ or body area is inflamed without correlating clinical findings and additional diagnostic workup 1.
Some key points to consider:
- S100 proteins are not specific to a particular organ or body area, and their elevation can be seen in various inflammatory conditions 1.
- The use of S100 panels as a diagnostic tool is still being researched, and their clinical utility is not yet fully established 1.
- Other biomarkers, such as IL-18, may also be useful in identifying inflammation and guiding diagnosis and treatment 1.
- A comprehensive diagnostic approach, including clinical evaluation, laboratory tests, and imaging studies, is necessary to determine the exact location and cause of inflammation 1.
In clinical practice, the use of S100 panels should be guided by the individual patient's presentation and medical history, and should be interpreted in the context of other diagnostic findings 1.
From the Research
S100 Protein Panel and Inflammation Indication
- The S100 family proteins have been found to play a crucial role in regulating pathways that govern inflammation, among other functions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- Research has shown that certain S100 proteins, such as S100A8, S100A9, and S100A12, are overexpressed at local sites of inflammation and can be used as diagnostic markers of inflammation 3, 5.
- These proteins have been found to be useful in indicating phagocyte activation and monitoring disease activity and response to treatment in individual patients, especially in non-infectious inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, chronic inflammatory lung and bowel disease 5.
- The S100 proteins can also indicate minimal residual inflammation, which may not be detected by other diagnostic tests, making them potential markers for the outcome of patients 5.
- However, the current evidence does not specifically indicate that an S100 protein panel can pinpoint the exact body area or organ experiencing inflammation, but rather suggests that these proteins can be used as biomarkers of inflammation in general 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.