Evaluation of C-reactive-like protein in Mytilus galloprovincialis

Abstract

C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase protein of the innate immune system with an important role as biomarker in many biological processes in mammals. However, there is a lack of information regarding CRP in molluscs and there is no data about the presence of CRP-like protein in mussels. In the present work, CPR-like protein was identified and purified from the digestive gland of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis In addition, it was demonstrated that CRP-like protein can be measured accurately and precisely by a high- throughput automated method. Finally, higher levels of CRP-like protein in mussels exposed to hypoxia and nanoplastics were detected when compared to controls. The results obtained indicate that CRP-like protein could be a suitable novel biomarker of inflammatory response in mussels for biomonitoring programs being economic, easy and rapid to determine.