The protein Progranulin:  a valuable diagnostic tool for use in Intensive Care Units? 

A recent publication1 with data of an observational study from LMU Munich clearly suggests that measuring of a new marker, the protein Progranulin, should be a valuable diagnostic tool for use in Intensive Care Units! 

There are approx. 30 million cases of Sepsis per year, causing more than 6 million deaths. Pneumonia is the fourth leading global cause of death worldwide with 3 million deaths per year, with SARS-CoV-2 pandemic cause actual  worsening of the situation. Early both disease detection and rapid initiation of adequate therapy needs to become improved, early clinical signs and currently available markers are missing the needed specificity and sensitivity. In search of new and more reliable biomarkers now Progranulin appears into view. Progranulin is an already known and widely expressed growth factor protein showing multiple effects in immunity, inflammation, neurodegeneration und cancer. 

In the present study, Progranulin was quantified with the Mediagnost ELISA test kit in patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) including COVID-19, with Sepsis or with Sterile Systemic Inflammation Response (SIRS) to major surgery. Results were compared with the respectively current established markers Procalcitonin (PCT), Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-Reactive Protein (CRP). 

Results: 

• Progranulin levels are significantly higher in Sepsis than in CAP or healthy persons. 
• Progranulin levels have superior kinetics compared with PCT, in Sepsis remaining elevated over weeks, not only day 1 or 2. 
• Progranulin levels are significantly higher with COVID-19  than in CAP, and its discriminative power was higher compared with PCT, IL-6 and CRP. 

Progranulin levels differs significantly between COVID-19, Sepsis, CAP and SIRS:  
Progranulin may serve as a novel indicator for the differentiation between these disorders! 

Mediagnost GmbH, Reutlingen, Germany, manufactures the worldwide available quantitative human Progranulin ELISA kit, Product Code E103. Mediagnost Progranulin rapid assay in the universal Lateral Flow test format is under development! 

1 – Progranulin Signaling in Sepsis, Community Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia and COVID-19: A Comparative, Observational Study; Brandes and Borrmann et al.; Intensive Care Medicine Experimental 9: 43 (2021); https://doi.org/10.1186/s40635‑021‑00406‑7 

About the company Mediagnost Gesellschaft für Forschung und Herstellung von Diagnostika GmbH, founded in 1985, is a research based company dedicated to the development and manufacture of in-vitro diagnostic test systems and cell culture derived biological reagents (viral antigens and antibodies). Main focus lies on designing innovative diagnostic tools (Endocrinology, Virology, Diagnostic of Infections, Nucleic Acid Technology) in a swift transfer from the scientific research base directly to the customer.