Clinical Information

Complement proteins are components of the innate immune system. There are 3 pathways to complement activation: 1) the classic pathway, 2) the alternative (or properdin) pathway, and 3) the lectin activation (mannan-binding protein; MBP) pathway. The classic pathway of the complement system is composed of a series of proteins that are activated in response to the presence of immune complexes. The activation process results in the generation of peptides that are chemotactic for neutrophils and that bind to immune complexes and complement receptors. The end result of the complement activation cascade is the formation of the lytic membrane attack complex (MAC).

Patients with deficiencies of the late complement proteins (C5, C6, C7, C8, and C9) are unable to form the MAC, and may have increased susceptibility to neisserial infections.

The majority of cases of C7 deficiency have neisserial infections, but cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), scleroderma, and pyoderma gangrenosum have been reported. The pathogenesis of the rheumatic disease is not clear.

Complement levels can be detected by antigen assays that quantitate the amount of the protein. For most of the complement proteins, a small number of cases have been described in which the protein is present but is non-functional. These rare cases require a functional assay to detect the deficiency.