Journal Article Review Epublish 20 citations
PubMed: 38368584 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05157-8
Emerging role of complement in COVID-19 and other respiratory virus diseases.
Cell Mol Life Sci 81(1):94
Authors: Mark T Xiao, Calder R Ellsworth, Xuebin Qin
Affiliations
- Division of Comparative Pathology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Health Sciences Campus, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA, 70433, USA. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
- Division of Comparative Pathology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Health Sciences Campus, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA, 70433, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
- Division of Comparative Pathology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Health Sciences Campus, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA, 70433, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
Abstract
The complement system, a key component of innate immunity, provides the first line of defense against bacterial infection; however, the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed that it may also engender severe complications in the context of viral respiratory disease. Here, we review the mechanisms of complement activation and regulation and explore their roles in both protecting against infection and exacerbating disease. We discuss emerging evidence related to complement-targeted therapeutics in COVID-19 and compare the role of the complement in other respiratory viral diseases like influenza and respiratory syncytial virus. We review recent mechanistic studies and animal models that can be used for further investigation. Novel knockout studies are proposed to better understand the nuances of the activation of the complement system in respiratory viral diseases.
MeSH
Biological Science Disciplines, Cell Biology, Covid-19, Viruses, Complement System Proteins, Infections, Virus Diseases
Cited by
- The Clinical and Laboratory Landscape of COVID-19 During the Initial Period of the Pandemic and at the Beginning of the Omicron Era. Viruses, 2025
- COVID-19: a vascular nightmare unfolding. Front Immunol, 2025
- Immunity and Coagulation in COVID-19. Int J Mol Sci, 2024
- Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin modulates coagulation- and complement-related pathways in COVID-19 patients. Front Immunol, 2025
- Enhanced complement activation and MAC formation accelerates severe COVID-19. Cell Mol Life Sci, 2024
- Viral reactivations and fungal infections in nonresolving acute respiratory distress syndrome. Eur Respir Rev, 2025