Department of Anaesthesiology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Biomedical Sciences, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Biomolecules. 2022 Feb 21;12(2):337. doi: 10.3390/biom12020337.
The functions of the complement system to both innate and adaptive immunity through opsonization, cell lysis, and inflammatory activities are well known. In contrast, the role of complement in the central nervous system (CNS) which extends beyond immunity, is only beginning to be recognized as important to neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration. In addition to protecting the brain against invasive pathogens, appropriate activation of the complement system is pivotal to the maintenance of normal brain function. Moreover, overactivation or dysregulation may cause synaptic dysfunction and promote excessive pro-inflammatory responses. Recent studies have provided insights into the various responses of complement components in different neurological diseases and the regulatory mechanisms involved in their pathophysiology, as well as a glimpse into targeting complement factors as a potential therapeutic modality. However, there remain significant knowledge gaps in the relationship between the complement system and different brain disorders. This review summarizes recent key findings regarding the role of different components of the complement system in health and pathology of the CNS and discusses the therapeutic potential of anti-complement strategies for the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions.
补体系统的功能通过调理作用、细胞溶解和炎症活动对先天免疫和适应性免疫都有重要作用。相比之下，补体在中枢神经系统（CNS）中的作用不仅限于免疫，其重要性才刚刚开始被认识到，它对神经发育和神经退行性变都很重要。除了保护大脑免受入侵病原体的侵害外，补体系统的适当激活对于维持正常的大脑功能也至关重要。此外，过度激活或失调可能导致突触功能障碍并促进过度的促炎反应。最近的研究提供了对补体成分在不同神经疾病中的各种反应以及涉及它们病理生理学的调节机制的深入了解，并为靶向补体因子作为一种潜在的治疗方法提供了线索。然而，补体系统与不同脑疾病之间的关系仍存在很大的知识空白。本综述总结了补体系统不同成分在中枢神经系统健康和病理中的作用的最新关键发现，并讨论了抗补体策略在治疗神经退行性疾病方面的治疗潜力。
