Detection and Quantification of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide in Human Blood Plasma using a Modified Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay v1

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a vasoactive neuropeptide that plays a putative role in the pathophysiology of migraine headaches and may be a candidate for biomarker status. Here, we present a protocol for purification and quantification of CGRP in human plasma. This protocol involves sample collection and preparation, extraction as a means of purification, and quantification via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). After finding unrealistically high CGRP concentrations in spike-and-recovery experiments using a commercial CGRP ELISA kit protocol, we modified the existing protocol to produce satisfactory percent recoveries. This protocol can theoretically be used to quantify CGRP concentrations in plasma of individuals not only with migraine, but also with other diseases in which CGRP may play a role.