title: Vascular biology and vasculitis.
abstract: The inflammation of blood vessel walls that is associated with autoimmune disorders characterized by anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibodies (ANCA) represents dysregulation of normal physiological processes, whereby neutrophils recruited to the vessel wall by cytokine-activated endothelium show destructive behaviours that initiate damage with endothelial apoptosis and denudation. Anti-endothelial cell antibodies may also help to focus and escalate injury. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the interplay between ANCA, aberrant neutrophil behaviour and vascular damage will allow development of more focused therapies.
authors.affiliation: Renal Immunobiology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. c.o.s.savage@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Caroline O S
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Savage
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic / Q000502:physiology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000502:physiology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000502:physiology; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; D001323:Autoantibodies; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases