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Review
. 2022 Aug 4;23(15):8689.
doi: 10.3390/ijms23158689.

The Complement System, Aging, and Aging-Related Diseases

Runzi Zheng  1 , Yanghuan Zhang  1 , Ke Zhang  1 , Yang Yuan  1 , Shuting Jia  1 , Jing Liu  1
Affiliations
Review

The Complement System, Aging, and Aging-Related Diseases

Runzi Zheng et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

The complement system is a part of the immune system and consists of multiple complement components with biological functions such as defense against pathogens and immunomodulation. The complement system has three activation pathways: the classical pathway, the lectin pathway, and the alternative pathway. Increasing evidence indicates that the complement system plays a role in aging. Complement plays a role in inflammatory processes, metabolism, apoptosis, mitochondrial function, and Wnt signaling pathways. In addition, the complement system plays a significant role in aging-related diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, age-related macular degeneration, and osteoarthritis. However, the effect of complement on aging and aging-related diseases is still unclear. Thus, a better understanding of the potential relationship between complement, aging, and aging-related diseases will provide molecular targets for treating aging, while focusing on the balance of complement in during treatment. Inhibition of a single component does not result in a good outcome. In this review, we discussed the research progress and effects of complement in aging and aging-related diseases.

Keywords: C3; aging; complement system.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Complement system activation pathways. Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 13 June 2022).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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