The potential application of complement inhibitors-loaded nanosystem for autoimmune diseases via regulation immune balance

Abstract

The complement is an important arm of the innate immune system, once activated, the complement system rapidly generates large quantities of protein fragments that are potent mediators of inflammation. Recent studies have shown that over-activated complement is the main proinflammatory system of autoimmune diseases (ADs). In addition, activated complements interact with autoantibodies, immune cells exacerbate inflammation, further worsening ADs. With the increasing threat of ADs to human health, complement-based immunotherapy has attracted wide attention. Nevertheless, efficient and targeted delivery of complement inhibitors remains a significant challenge owing to their inherent poor targeting, degradability, and low bioavailability. Nanosystems offer innovative solutions to surmount these obstacles and amplify the potency of complement inhibitors. This prime aim to present the current knowledge of complement in ADs, analyse the function of complement in the pathogenesis and treatment of ADs, we underscore the current situation of nanosystems assisting complement inhibitors in the treatment of ADs. Considering technological, physiological, and clinical validation challenges, we critically appraise the challenges for successfully translating the findings of preclinical studies of these nanosystem assisted-complement inhibitors into the clinic, and future perspectives were also summarised. (The graphical abstract is by BioRender.)

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Nanosystem-assisted complement inhibitor strategy. (By BioRender.)

Keywords:

• Autoimmune diseases
• immunotherapy
• complement system
• complement inhibitors
• nanosystem

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Ningxia Province [No. 2022AAC03199].