New Potential Uses for Cardiac Troponins

Abstract

This review briefly synthesizes the molecular biology of troponin, which is currently the best biochemical marker for the detection of cardiac injury and, thus, acute myocardial infarction as well. Potential new uses for the marker based on these insights, with a specific interest in cardiac troponin fragments that potentially could be linked to distinct clinical conditions, are described. Some of the clinical problems clinicians are faced with including how to use the markers in renal failure and the difficulties associated with the heterogeneity of current troponin assays are also discussed. Finally, we present the possibility of specific cardiac troponin fragments resulting from modification or degradation, associated with distinct pathological processes, as new potential uses for this biomarker.

Keywords: :

• dephosphorylation
• phosphorylation
• troponin fragments

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Allan Jaffe is a consultant and has received research support from Dade-Behring and Beckman-Coulter. He is a consultant to Ortho Diagnostics and has consulted over time for most of the major diagnostic companies. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

Allan Jaffe is a consultant and has received research support from Dade-Behring and Beckman-Coulter. He is a consultant to Ortho Diagnostics and has consulted over time for most of the major diagnostic companies. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.