Ou LL, Jiang JL, Guo ML, Wu JH, Zhong WW, He YH. Research progress on the roles of complement in liver injury. World J Hepatol 2025; 17(3): 103839 [DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v17.i3.103839]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Yi-Huai He, MD, Associate Chief Physician, Department of Infectious Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, No. 149 Dalian Road, Huichuan District, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou Province, China. 993565989@qq.com
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
Review
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Li-Li Ou, Jin-Lian Jiang, Man-Lu Guo, Jin-Hua Wu, Yi-Huai He, Department of Infectious Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou Province, China
Wei-Wei Zhong, Department of Infectious Diseases, Jingmen Central Hospital, Jingmen Central Hospital Affiliated to Jingchu University of Technology, Jingmen 448000, Hubei Province, China
Author contributions: Ou LL, Jiang JL, Guo ML, Wu JH, Zhong WW, and He YH contributed to this paper; He YH, Ou LL, and Jiang JL designed the overall concept and outline of the manuscript, contributed to the writing and editing of the manuscript and the literature review; Guo ML, Wu JH, and Zhong WW contributed to the discussion and design of the manuscript; He YH revised the manuscript; All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Supported by the Science and Technology Planning Projects of Guizhou Province, No. QKHJC-ZK[2022]YB642; the Science and Technology Planning Projects of Zunyi City, No. ZSKHHZ (2022)344; the WBE Liver Fibrosis Foundation, No. CFHPC2025028; the Chinese Foundation for Hepatitis Prevention and Control Muxin Research Fund of CHB, No. MX202404; Beijing Liver and Gallbladder Mutual Aid Public Welfare Foundation Artificial Liver Special Fund, No. iGandanF-1082024-Rgg018; the Graduate Research Fund Project of Zunyi Medical University, No. ZYK246; and the Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program of Zunyi Medical University, No. 2024106610923 and No. S202310661028.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Yi-Huai He, MD, Associate Chief Physician, Department of Infectious Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, No. 149 Dalian Road, Huichuan District, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou Province, China. 993565989@qq.com
Received: December 4, 2024 Revised: January 29, 2025 Accepted: February 27, 2025 Published online: March 27, 2025 Processing time: 114 Days and 0.4 Hours
Abstract
The complement system is crucial for maintaining immunological homeostasis in the liver, playing a significant role in both innate and adaptive immune responses. Dysregulation of this system is closely linked to the pathogenesis of various liver diseases. Modulating the complement system can affect the progression of these conditions. To provide insights into treating liver injury by targeting the regulation of the complement system, we conducted a comprehensive search of major biomedical databases, including MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science, to identify articles on complement and liver injury and reviewed the functions and mechanisms of the complement system in liver injury.
Core Tip: This review details the intricate relationship between the complement system and liver injury, highlighting its dual role in the pathology of liver injury. Although essential for immune response initiation, the complement system can also exacerbate liver injury. We synthesize current knowledge on the complement's involvement in liver injury, aiming to inform the creation of novel therapies that modulate this system to promote liver repair or halt disease progression. Future research directions and potential pharmaceutical targets are also discussed.
