Complement system and coronary atherosclerosis

Coronary atherosclerosis (CAS) has been recognized as a chronic inflammatory disease in recent years. As an important component of innate immunity, complement system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of CAS. Multiple components of plaque can activate complement proteins, and the activation of complement promotes the progression of plaque lesions in turn. However, recent studies have also found that some proteins of the complement system may also paly an atheroprotective role in the early stage of atherosclerosis. In addition to the direct effects, complement system is also involved in CAS-related pathological changes. Complement proteins may be promising biomarkers, as confirmed by clinical studies which suggest that circulation levels of some complement proteins can predict the risk and prognosis of CAS. This review mainly introduced the origin and activation of complement molecules inside the plaques, their important roles in the pathogenesis of CAS, and the value of complement molecules as potential predictors in clinical.(Chin J Lab Med, 2017, 40: 655-659) Key words: Coronary artery disease; Complement system proteins; Complement activation; Biological markers