Complement Deficiency
Basics
Description
- Complement is a major component of the innate immune system.
- Consists of plasma and membrane proteins which mediate 3 pathways of cascading enzyme reactions
- Pathway activation leads to inflammatory and immune responses.
- Deficiencies can arise in any of the proteins, leading to loss of activity of the deficient protein as well as loss of function of proteins that follow in the cascade.
- Inherited deficiencies of the complement components may predispose individuals to infections and autoimmunity.
- Secondary/acquired deficiencies are much more common than inherited deficiencies and are most often caused by increased consumption by immune complexes.
Deficiency | Clinical manifestations |
---|---|
C1q,r,s, C2 | Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), bacterial infections |
C4 | SLE, autoimmune disorders |
C3 | Severe infections with encapsulated bacteria (i.e., Haemophilus influenzae), glomerulonephritis, immune complex disease |
Factor H, I | Secondary C3 deficiency, atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome |
Properdin | Males with neisserial and sinopulmonary infections |
Factor D | Neisserial infections |
MBL, MASP | Infections with encapsulated bacteria, SLE, rheumatoid arthritis |
C5, 6, 7, 8, 9 | Disseminated neisserial infections |
DAF, CD59 | Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria |
C1 inhibitor | Hereditary angioedema (HAE) |
Epidemiology
- Complement deficiency accounts for approximately 2% of all primary immune deficiencies.
- Homozygous C2 deficiency 1 in 10,000
- Borderline C4 in 1–3% of Caucasian population
- C9 deficiency almost always found in people of Japanese descent
- C6 deficiency more common in African Americans
- Alternative pathway deficiencies (properdin, factor D) are rare.
Risk Factors
Genetics
- Properdin deficiency is X-linked.
- Most other complement deficiencies are autosomal recessive.
- C1 inhibitor deficiency is autosomal dominant.
- Heterozygotes are usually phenotypically normal.
Pathophysiology
- Classic complement pathway is activated when IgM or IgG antibodies bind to antigen.
- Lectin pathway is activated when a lectin such as mannose-binding lectin (MBL) binds to antigen.
- Alternative pathway does not need antibody or lectins to be activated.
- Main goal of all 3 pathways is to deposit C3b fragments on the target antigen to mark the target for immune response.
Etiology
- Primary complement deficiencies are hereditary.
- Acquired deficiencies: accelerated consumption by immune complexes (most common), decreased hepatic production (less common), or loss through the urine (rare)
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Citation
Cabana, Michael D., editor. "Complement Deficiency." Select 5-Minute Pediatrics Topics, 7th ed., Wolters Kluwer Health, 2015. Medicine Central, im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/Select-5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/14012/all/Complement_Deficiency.
Complement Deficiency. In: Cabana MDM, ed. Select 5-Minute Pediatrics Topics. Wolters Kluwer Health; 2015. https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/Select-5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/14012/all/Complement_Deficiency. Accessed May 30, 2023.
Complement Deficiency. (2015). In Cabana, M. D. (Ed.), Select 5-Minute Pediatrics Topics (7th ed.). Wolters Kluwer Health. https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/Select-5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/14012/all/Complement_Deficiency
Complement Deficiency [Internet]. In: Cabana MDM, editors. Select 5-Minute Pediatrics Topics. Wolters Kluwer Health; 2015. [cited 2023 May 30]. Available from: https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/Select-5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/14012/all/Complement_Deficiency.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
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T1 - Complement Deficiency
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ED - Cabana,Michael D,
BT - Select 5-Minute Pediatrics Topics
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PB - Wolters Kluwer Health
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