The role of complement in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia
Preeclampsia affects 3-4% of pregnancies with adverse effects for both mother and child. Minimal therapeutic options are available, and biomarkers are urgently needed to identify those at greatest risk early in the pregnancy. Both the innate and adaptive immune systems are well regulated during norm...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Immunology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1643896/full |
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| author | Richard M. Burwick Anuja Java Jean F. Regal |
| author_facet | Richard M. Burwick Anuja Java Jean F. Regal |
| author_sort | Richard M. Burwick |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Preeclampsia affects 3-4% of pregnancies with adverse effects for both mother and child. Minimal therapeutic options are available, and biomarkers are urgently needed to identify those at greatest risk early in the pregnancy. Both the innate and adaptive immune systems are well regulated during normal pregnancy including the complement system. A functioning complement system with some degree of complement activation participates in proper placental development, ensuring a healthy pregnancy and assisting with host defense. However, aberrant complement activation can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preeclampsia. An overview of the complement system will be presented, along with review of the pre-clinical literature in animal models providing evidence for complement involvement in maintaining a normal pregnancy and contributing to symptoms of preeclampsia. In addition, clinical studies with evaluation of complement biomarkers in plasma and urine implicate complement dysregulation in the pathophysiology of subtypes of preeclampsia including HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count) syndrome. Recent studies on the genetics of complement dysregulation in preeclampsia will be reviewed, along with updates on use of recently developed complement therapeutics. The potential utility of evaluating complement activation or manipulating complement during pregnancy will be discussed in view of the successful use of complement therapeutics in pregnancy in other immune diseases. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-99f73d3925a045e592ef19215dd9dfd8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-3224 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Immunology |
| spelling | doaj-art-99f73d3925a045e592ef19215dd9dfd82025-08-20T03:32:20ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242025-07-011610.3389/fimmu.2025.16438961643896The role of complement in normal pregnancy and preeclampsiaRichard M. Burwick0Anuja Java1Jean F. Regal2Maternal Fetal Medicine, San Gabriel Valley Perinatal Medical Group, Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, Pomona, CA, United StatesDivision of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United StatesDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, MN, United StatesPreeclampsia affects 3-4% of pregnancies with adverse effects for both mother and child. Minimal therapeutic options are available, and biomarkers are urgently needed to identify those at greatest risk early in the pregnancy. Both the innate and adaptive immune systems are well regulated during normal pregnancy including the complement system. A functioning complement system with some degree of complement activation participates in proper placental development, ensuring a healthy pregnancy and assisting with host defense. However, aberrant complement activation can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preeclampsia. An overview of the complement system will be presented, along with review of the pre-clinical literature in animal models providing evidence for complement involvement in maintaining a normal pregnancy and contributing to symptoms of preeclampsia. In addition, clinical studies with evaluation of complement biomarkers in plasma and urine implicate complement dysregulation in the pathophysiology of subtypes of preeclampsia including HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count) syndrome. Recent studies on the genetics of complement dysregulation in preeclampsia will be reviewed, along with updates on use of recently developed complement therapeutics. The potential utility of evaluating complement activation or manipulating complement during pregnancy will be discussed in view of the successful use of complement therapeutics in pregnancy in other immune diseases.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1643896/fullinnate immunitycomplementpregnancypreeclampsiapregnancy lossfetal development |
| spellingShingle | Richard M. Burwick Anuja Java Jean F. Regal The role of complement in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia Frontiers in Immunology innate immunity complement pregnancy preeclampsia pregnancy loss fetal development |
| title | The role of complement in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia |
| title_full | The role of complement in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia |
| title_fullStr | The role of complement in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of complement in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia |
| title_short | The role of complement in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia |
| title_sort | role of complement in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia |
| topic | innate immunity complement pregnancy preeclampsia pregnancy loss fetal development |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1643896/full |
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