What does complement do in Alzheimer's disease? Old molecules with new insights.

ABSTRACT: Increasing evidence suggests that inflammatory and immune components in brain are important in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and anti-inflammatory and immunotherapeutic approaches may be amenable to AD treatment. It is known that complement activation occurs in the brain of patients with AD, and contributes to a local inflammatory state development which is correlated with cognitive impairment. In addition to the complement's critical role in the innate immune system recognizing and killing, or targeting for destruction, complement proteins can also interact with cell surface receptors to promote a local inflammatory response and contributes to the protection and healing of the host. On the other hand, complement activation also causes inflammation and cell damage as an essential immune functio

SUBMITTER: Shen Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3853043 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature