title: Cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide as a serologic marker and potential pathogenic factor in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis.
abstract: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies are associated with pauci-immune small-vessel vasculitis and crescentic glomerulonephritis. Cathelicidin LL37 is the human member of a family of antimicrobial peptides that are released from activated neutrophils and monocytes at sites of acute inflammation. Zhang and colleagues evaluated serum levels of cathelicidin LL37 and interferon-alpha in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) and glomerulonephritis. Increased levels of cathelicidin LL37 and interferon-alpha were associated with AAV patients, particularly those with glomerular crescent formation. Cathelicidin LL37 may also be involved in the pathogenesis of AAV and thus could be a target for novel therapy. Cathelicidin LL37 is a promising new biomarker for active AAV, including aggressive crescentic glomerulonephritis, and may prove to be both a prognostic marker and a guide for treatment.
authors.forename: Adil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gasim
mesh_terms: D056648:Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis / Q000097:blood*; D054804:Cathelicidins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D054804:Cathelicidins; D010446:Peptide Fragments