COVID-19 biomarkers – The role of complement C4d & calprotectin

The complement system is an important part of the innate immune response and plays a key role in the defense against invading pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Recent studies have shown that complement overactivation plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and other viral diseases, suggesting its huge potential as a biomarker for infectious diseases. Being able to accurately measure how, where, and why the complement system is activated is essential for the diagnosis and development of treatment for infectious diseases, as well as a wide range of other disorders where the complement system is involved. 

To find out more about the role of the complement system in viral infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, Select Science spoke with Dr. Marie-Agnès Dragon-Durey, associate professor in Immunology at the Université de Paris. 

With over 20 years of experience improving diagnostics for autoimmune diseases and exploring the complement system, Dragon-Durey’s current research focuses on the use of biomarker assays to determine whether deficiencies, overactivation, or dysregulation in the complement system are causing or contributing to a person’s disease or condition. Dragon-Durey has carried out work on the C4d protein using biomarker assays produced by Svar Life Science. They also have their own Calprotectin portfolio through their subsidiary Calpro.

Biomarkers have become indispensable tools in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 as they provide an objective and quantifiable measurement of COVID-19 progression. The emergence of new biomarkers for SARS-CoV-2 continues to be an area of interest as scientists strive to improve the accuracy of COVID-19 diagnostics. During the recent pandemic, complement activation was very quickly shown to participate in the innate immune response induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection, and complement biomarkers were used to follow the activity of the disease. However, it has not yet been established if this activation is the cause of the hyperinflammatory syndrome associated with severe forms of the disease. 

Read the full interview and find out about the role of complement C4d and calprotectin in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19 and other viral infectious diseases.