pentraxin 3

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is a long pentraxin protein that serves as a key component of the humoral innate immune system and a soluble pattern recognition receptor. Unlike short pentraxins such as C-reactive protein (CRP), PTX3 is produced locally at sites of inflammation by various cell types, including macrophages, endothelial cells, and dendritic cells, in response to primary inflammatory signals like IL-1β and TNF-α. As a therapeutic agent, recombinant human PTX3 (rhPTX3) has been investigated for its ability to act as an opsonin, binding to specific pathogens such as *Aspergillus fumigatus* and activating the classical complement pathway via C1q to facilitate phagocytosis. Additionally, PTX3 modulates inflammatory responses by binding to P-selectin and sequesters fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), thereby inhibiting FGF2-mediated angiogenesis and smooth muscle cell proliferation. While primarily developed for infectious diseases like invasive aspergillosis, PTX3 is also extensively studied as a prognostic biomarker in various conditions, including pancreatic carcinoma and cardiovascular disease, where its expression levels correlate with disease progression and outcomes.

Other names

Pentraxin-related protein PTX3TNF-stimulated gene 14 proteinTSG-14TSG14TSG 14Long pentraxin 3