Researchers from BÜHLMANN and EPFL have created peptides as a novel alternative to antibodies for detecting calprotectin, an essential protein for diagnosing inflammatory disorders. This development promises a more accurate, stable, and cost-effective method for biomarker detection, particularly for conditions like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Traditional antibody-based assays often yield inconsistent results, as various antibodies may bind to different sites on calprotectin and may degrade over time.
In contrast, the newly developed peptides, derived from a library of over 500 billion sequences, demonstrate high affinity and specificity for calprotectin, making them conducive for use in simplified lateral flow assays. The most effective peptide showed a strong binding with a dissociation constant of 26 nM, capable of detecting a specific form of calprotectin relevant in patient samples. The collaboration successfully tested the peptide in lateral flow cassettes, confirming its ability to accurately quantify calprotectin from serum samples.
Moving forward, ongoing tests aim to transform this peptide-based assay into a practical diagnostic product, enhancing the clinical applicability of calprotectin detection for patients with inflammatory diseases.
