The Role Of Complement Component C5A In The Pathogenesis Of Diabetic Kidney Disease: A New Kid On The Block?
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a serious complication of diabetes that can lead to kidney failure. Recent research highlights a crucial player in this process: a molecule called C5a, which is part of the body’s immune system, specifically the “complement system” that helps fight infections.
This molecule, C5a, appears to contribute significantly to kidney damage in people with diabetes by interfering with how kidney cells produce energy. Cells have tiny powerhouses called mitochondria, and C5a disrupts their ability to efficiently generate energy, a process referred to as “mitochondrial metabolic agility.”
Studies have shown that levels of C5a and its receptor (C5aR1) are elevated early in the disease process in diabetic patients and animal models. Importantly, blocking the C5a receptor has been shown to protect against diabetes-induced kidney injury, suggesting that targeting this pathway could be a promising new strategy for treating DKD. This discovery points to a new “immunometabolic” signaling pathway, meaning a connection between the immune system and the body’s metabolism, that drives kidney damage in diabetes.
Source: link to paper