About GA

The Complement Pathway

    C5 Is a Pivotal Player

    The complement system acts as the first line of defense against infection.

    However, dysregulation of the complement pathway has been strongly associated with the progression and pathogenesis of geographic atrophy (GA).2,27

    C5 has emerged as an attractive target in GA.28-31

    Inhibiting C5 at the terminal end of the pathway may interrupt the pathophysiologic process leading to GA, while preserving complement’s beneficial role of the body’s immune system.27-32

    Lysis and InflammationInflammationOpsonizationInflammationFunctionC5b-9 (MAC)C5aC5bC5C5 convertaseC3bC3aC3C3 convertaseAlternative PathwayLectin PathwayClassical PathwayC5aCan lead to inflammation causing death ofretinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells33,34C5bInitiates cell death through the membraneattack complex (MAC)35All 3 complement pathways converge atthe C3 convertase enzyme27C3 convertase cleaves C3 to form C3a,which has proinflammatory effects throughinflammasome activation, and C3b, whichplays a role in pathogen opsonization andcan be beneficial for anti-inflammatoryactivities2,27As C5 convertase cleaves C5 into C5aand C5b, it initiates the terminal cascadeof the complement system2
    C3 C3 convertase Alternative Pathway Lectin Pathway Classical Pathway All 3 complement pathways converge at the C3 convertase enzyme 27 C3 convertase cleaves C3 to form C3a, which has proinflammatory effects through inflammasome activation, and C3b, which plays a role in pathogen opsonization and can be beneficial for anti-inflammatory activities 2,27 Lysis and Inflammation Opsonization Inflammation Inflammation Function C5b-9 (MAC) C5a C5b C5 C5 convertase C3b C3a C3 C3 convertase Alternative Pathway Lectin Pathway C5a Can lead to inflammation causing death of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells 33,34 Classical Pathway C5b Initiates cell death through the membrane attack complex (MAC) 35 C3 convertase cleaves C3 to form C3a, which has proinflammatory effects through inflammasome activation, and C3b, which plays a role in pathogen opsonization and can be beneficial for anti-inflammatory activities 2,27 All 3 complement pathways converge at the C3 convertase enzyme 27 As C5 convertase cleaves C5 into C5a and C5b, it initiates the terminal cascade of the complement system 2

    Watch and Discover

    Further explore the role C5 plays in the complement pathway and GA.

    Complement Pathway
    Complement Pathway
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