Intravital microscopy in the study of ANCA-associated systemic vasculitis.
In addition to being useful clinical markers of systemic vasculitis, anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibodies (ANCA) may play a role in the initiation of vasculitic injury. These autoantibodies can induce neutrophil degranulation, dysregulated neutrophil apoptosis and neutrophil adhesion to endothelium in static cellular systems. This mini-review will place these sentinel findings in the context of more recent studies using the parallel plate flow chamber and novel animal models of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AASV). Rodent models lend themselves well to investigation of leukocyte endothelial interaction using intravital microscopy. In this way, one can study ANCA-induced leukocyte adhesion/transmigration, and microvascular injury in real time. These studies may then be extended to look at the impact of novel therapeutic agents on these processes.
Little
M A
MA
Renal Section, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, UK. m.little@imperial.ac.uk
Pusey
C D
CD
Nourshargh
S
S
D000818:Animals; D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic / Q000276:immunology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000276:immunology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D036904:Leukocyte Rolling / Q000276:immunology; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000276:immunology*
D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic