Complement Inhibition in Kidney Transplantation: Where Are We Now?

Kidney transplantation is a life-saving strategy for patients with end-stage renal disease. Although progress has been made in the field of transplantation medicine in recent decades in terms of surgical techniques and immunosuppression, long-term organ survival remains a challenge. Also, for reasons of organ shortage, there is an unmet need for new therapeutic approaches to improve the long-term survival of transplants. There is increasing evidence that the complement system plays a crucial role in various pathological events after transplantation, including ischemia/reperfusion injury as well as rejection episodes. The complement system is part of the innate immune system and plays a crucial role in the defense against pathogens but is also involved in tissue homeostasis. However, the tightly regulated complement system can become dysregulated or activated by non-infectious stimuli, then targeting the organism's own cells and leading to inflammatory tissue damage that exacerbates injury. In this review, we will highlight the role of the complement system after transplantation and discuss ongoing and potential therapeutic approaches.

Automated summary

Kidney transplantation is a life-saving strategy for end-stage renal disease patients, but long-term organ survival remains a challenge due to surgical techniques, immunosuppression, and organ shortage. The complement system, part of the innate immune system, plays a crucial role in transplantation-related pathological events. Dysregulation or activation of the complement system can lead to tissue damage and inflammation. This review discusses the role of the complement system in transplantation and potential therapeutic approaches.