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The Evolving Landscape for Complement Therapeutics in Rheumatic and Autoimmune Diseases
Joshua M Thurman1, Ashley Frazer-Abel1, V Michael Holers1
1University of Colorado Denver, Aurora.
Insights
The complement system is crucial in autoimmune diseases, driving new drug development. This review details complement activation, its role in diseases like lupus, and therapeutic strategies.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases
Background:
- The complement system plays a significant role in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
- Commercial efforts are expanding to develop novel complement inhibitors and pathway-modulating drugs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evolving understanding of complement system components and activation pathways.
- To discuss complement dysregulation in target tissues and its role in various diseases.
- To outline approved and developing complement therapeutics for rheumatic and non-rheumatic diseases.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature on complement system biology and therapeutics.
- Analysis of complement activation mechanisms in specific diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, thrombotic microangiopathies).
- Discussion of therapeutic strategies and biomarker studies for complement assessment.
Main Results:
- The complement system's central role in disease pathogenesis is increasingly recognized.
- Successful development of complement therapeutics highlights its importance.
- Specific mechanisms of complement activation are detailed for key diseases.
Conclusions:
- Understanding complement pathways is vital for developing effective treatments for autoimmune and inflammatory conditions.
- Complement therapeutics offer promising treatment options for a range of diseases.
- Biomarker studies are essential for personalized assessment of complement system function.
Abstract:
The complement system is increasingly understood to play major roles in the pathogenesis of human inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Because of this situation, there are rapidly expanding commercial efforts to develop novel complement inhibitors and effector pathway-modulating drugs. This review provides insights into the evolving understanding of the complement system components, mechanisms of activation within and across the 3 pathways (classical, alternative, and lectin), how the pathways are normally controlled and then dysregulated in target tissues, and what diseases are known to be, in large part, complement-dependent through the successful development and approval of complement therapeutics in patients. Mechanisms of complement activation in rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and thrombotic microangiopathies are also illustrated. In addition, the specific therapeutic drugs that are both approved and under development are discussed in the context of both nonrheumatic and rheumatic diseases. Finally, the methods by which the complement system can be assessed in humans through biomarker studies are outlined, with the goal of understanding, in specific patients, how the system is functioning.
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