Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 15, 2025
08:07
Author Spotlight: Advancing Antiviral Strategies Through Novel Immunocapture and Mass Spectrometry Techniques
Published on: January 12, 2024
1.0K
Increased complement activation is a distinctive feature of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection
Lina Ma1, Sanjaya K Sahu1, Marlene Cano1
1Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, John T. Milliken Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|March 3, 2021
Summary
Complement activation is elevated in severe COVID-19, distinguishing it from other critical illnesses. This finding offers new targets for prognostication and treatment in COVID-19 patients.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pathophysiology
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Complement activation is suspected in severe SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis.
- Uncertainty exists regarding complement's role as a general critical illness marker and specific pathway involvement in COVID-19.
- The association between complement activation and COVID-19 complications like endothelial injury and hypercoagulability requires clarification.
Conclusions:
- Complement activation is a distinctive feature of severe COVID-19, not merely a marker of critical illness.
- Enhanced alternative pathway activation is prevalent in severe COVID-19 and linked to key pathological features.
- These findings highlight complement as a potential target for risk stratification, drug development, and personalized medicine in COVID-19.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Complement System
6.4K
The complement system is a group of approximately 20 plasma proteins that strengthen the body's defenses against infections through opsonization, inflammation, and cell lysis. Opsonization involves coating pathogens with complement proteins, making them more recognizable and facilitating phagocyte engulfment. Certain complement proteins induce inflammation that attracts immune cells to the site of infection. Cell lysis involves the destruction of pathogens through the formation of a...
6.4K
01:29Pneumonia II: Pathophysiology
1.7K
The pathophysiology of pneumonia involves the following steps:
1.7K
01:26Antibody Actions
1.7K
Antibodies, or immunoglobulins, are critical players in the immune system's arsenal against invading pathogens. Produced by B cells and plasma cells, their primary role is to detect and bind to specific antigens, molecules found on the surface of pathogens like bacteria or viruses. Beyond antigen recognition, antibodies perform several vital functions that contribute to immune defense.
Neutralization
Antibodies can bind to pathogens, preventing them from infecting host cells. This process...
Neutralization
Antibodies can bind to pathogens, preventing them from infecting host cells. This process...
1.7K
01:25Endocarditis II: Clinical Features of Infective Endocarditis
143
Endocarditis can present various clinical features depending on the causative organism and the patient's underlying health conditions. Initially, the clinical features of infective endocarditis develop gradually, presenting with nonspecific symptoms that can be easily mistaken for other illnesses.General SymptomsEarly symptoms of infective endocarditis are fever, chills, weakness, malaise, fatigue, and weight loss. These symptoms reflect the systemic nature of the infection and the body's...
143
01:29Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens
1.2K
The immune system's response to viral infections is a complex and coordinated process involving natural killer (NK) cells, T cell-mediated responses, and antibody-mediated responses.
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...
1.2K
01:20COPD: Pathogenesis and Clinical Features
1.5K
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of lung conditions that progressively worsen over time, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. This cluster of diseases collectively leads to a gradual and irreversible decline in lung function over time.
The primary cause for the onset of COPD is cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollution. These hazardous factors initiate a chain reaction within the lungs, resulting in chronic inflammation, damage to the airways, and a...
The primary cause for the onset of COPD is cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollution. These hazardous factors initiate a chain reaction within the lungs, resulting in chronic inflammation, damage to the airways, and a...
1.5K