title: Role of complement in inflammation and injury in the nervous system.
abstract: The complement (C) system plays important roles in host defence but activation at inappropriate sites or to an excessive degree can cause host tissue damage. C has been implicated as a factor in the causation or propagation of tissue injury in numerous diseases. The brain is an immunologically isolated site, sheltered from circulating cells and proteins of the immune system; nevertheless, there is a growing body of evidence implicating C in numerous brain diseases. In this brief article we review the evidence suggesting a role for C in diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system and discuss the possible sources of C at these sites. Some brain cells synthesise C and also express specific receptors; some are exquisitely sensitive to the lytic effects of C. The evidence suggests that C synthesis and activation in the brain are important in immune defence at this site but may also play a role in brain disease.
authors.affiliation: University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, UK. WMBPM@cardiff.ac.uk
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gasque
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Singhrao
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Piddlesden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000276:immunology; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology*; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000276:immunology; D009420:Nervous System / Q000276:immunology*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000502:physiology; D011951:Receptors, Complement / Q000378:metabolism; D020196:Trauma, Nervous System
chemical_list: D011951:Receptors, Complement; D003165:Complement System Proteins