Myeloperoxidase

Common card · No. 438762

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a peroxidase enzyme that produces various acids within neutrophils. In humans it is encoded by the MPO gene on chromosome 17. MPO is most abundantly expressed in neutrophils (a subtype of white blood cells). It produces hypohalous acids to carry out their antimicrobial activity, including hypochlorous acid, the sodium salt of which is the chemical in bleach. It is a lysosomal protein stored in azurophilic granules of the neutrophil and released into the extracellular space during degranulation. It also serves as a biomarker of inflammation and is predictive of heart attacks and some cancers. Myeloperoxidase is found in many different organisms including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Myeloperoxidase deficiency is a well-documented disease among humans resulting in impaired immune function.

Read on Wikipedia · Image Jawahar Swaminathan and MSD staff at the European Bioinformatics Institute, Public domain