title: Pathogenesis of Churg-Strauss syndrome: recent insights.
abstract: Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a rare systemic necrotizing vasculitis associated with granuloma formation and severe blood and tissue eosinophilia. CSS occurs almost exclusively in patients with asthma. Its pathogenesis remains largely unknown, as triggering factors for CSS development have not been identified so far. AAb, such as anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies, are found in less than half of patients and possibly constitute a subtype of CSS with different clinical behaviour. On a cellular level, CSS is characterized by a strong Th2-type immune response. Th2-associated cytokines such as IL-4, IL-13 and IL-5 may precipitate the severe eosinophilia in CSS, while migration of Eos to inflammatory sites is possibly mediated by eotaxin-3. This review summarizes recent advances in the knowledge on epidemiology, clinical features, and pathogenesis of CSS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine 3, Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. jochen.zwerina@uk-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zwerina
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Axmann
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jatzwauk
authors.forename: Enijad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sahinbegovic
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Polzer
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000075906:Chemokine CCL26; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000276:immunology; D015267:Churg-Strauss Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: C120429:CCL26 protein, human; D000075906:Chemokine CCL26; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D015848:Interleukin-5