title: Exploring the potential benefits of vaccinia virus complement control protein in controlling complement activation in pathogenesis of the central nervous system diseases.
abstract: Aging is a major risk factor for the development of diseases related to the central nervous system (CNS), such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In both cases, linkage studies and genome-wide association studies found strong links with complement regulatory genes and disease risk. In AD, both CLU and CR1 genes were implicated in the late-onset form of the disease. In AMD, polymorphisms in CFH, CFB and C2 were similarly implicated. The cost of caring for patients with AD or AMD is approaching billions of dollars, and with the baby boomers reaching their 60's, this amount is likely to increase further. Intervention using complement inhibitors for individuals in their early 50s who are at a higher risk of disease development, (testing positive for genetic risk factors), could slow the progression of AD or AMD and possibly prevent the severity of late stage symptoms. Although we have used the vaccinia virus complement control protein (VCP) to elucidate the role of complement in CNS diseases, it has merely been an investigational tool but not the only possible potential therapeutic agent.
authors: Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts School of Medicine, Worcester, MA, USA; Inflamed, Inc., Louisville, KY, USA. Electronic address: gjkotw01@gmail.com.
authors: Girish J
authors: GJ
authors: Kotwal
authors: The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
authors: Nilisha
authors: N
authors: Fernando
authors: Inflamed, Inc., Louisville, KY, USA.
authors: Jianhua
authors: J
authors: Zhou
authors: The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra, ACT, Australia; Medical School, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
authors: Krisztina
authors: K
authors: Valter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000378:metabolism; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D014764:Viral Proteins; C066459:complement-control protein, Vaccinia virus; C111828:compstatin; D003165:Complement System Proteins