The complement system is a component of the innate immune system. Its main function was initially believed to be limited to the recognition and elimination of pathogens through direct killing or stimulation of phagocytosis. However, in recent years, the immunoregulatory functions of the complement system were demonstrated and it was determined that the complement proteins play an important role in modulating adaptive immunity and in bridging innate and adaptive responses. When the delicate mechanisms that regulate this sophisticated enzymatic system are unbalanced, the complement system may cause damage, mediating tissue inflammation. Dysregulation of the complement system has been involved in the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of several autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, vasculitides, Sjögren's syndrome, antiphospholipid syndrome, systemic sclerosis, dermatomyositis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Complement deficiencies have been associated with an increased risk to develop autoimmune disorders. Because of its functions, the complement system is an attractive therapeutic target for a wide range of diseases. Up to date, several compounds interfering with the complement cascade have been studied in experimental models for autoimmune diseases. The main therapeutic strategies are inhibition of complement activation components, inhibition of complement receptors, and inhibition of membrane attack complex. At present, none of the available agents was proven to be both safe and effective for treatment of autoimmune diseases in humans. Nonetheless, data from preclinical studies and initial clinical trials suggest that the modulation of the complement system could constitute a viable strategy for the treatment of autoimmune conditions in the decades to come.

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C-peptide was associated with cardiovascular mortality independently of known diabetes status in a cohort of patients with chronic atherosclerotic disease. Future studies using C-peptide into a reclassification approach might be undertaken to consider its potential as a cardiovascular disease biomarker.

Objective To detect premature gluco-metabolic defects among night shift workers with disturbances in circadian rhythms. Design and methods We performed a hypothesis-generating, cross-sectional analysis of anthropometric, metabolic, lipid, and inflammation parameters, comparing active (a-NSW, n = 111) and former (f-NSW, n = 98) rotating night shift workers with diurnal workers (controls, n = 69). All participants were hospital nurses. We also evaluated the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and assessed expression of transcription factors REV-ERBα and BMAL1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), as indicators of the molecular clock. Results Both a-NSW and f-NSW participants had significantly higher glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and white blood cell counts (WBC) (p < 0.001 for both), PSQI global score (p = 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure levels (p = 0.024) compared with controls. Expression of REV-ERBα/BMAL1 RNA in PBMC was significantly higher in a-NSW (p = 0.05) than in f-NSW or control participants. Multivariate regression analysis showed that working status and PSQI were independent determinants of higher HbA1c levels (p < 0.001). Conclusions We demonstrated that young, healthy night shift workers show subclinical abnormalities in HbA1c and changes in peripheral clock gene expression.