Experimental models of vasculitis and glomerulonephritis induced by antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA) are closely associated with systemic small vessel vasculitis characterized by segmental vessel wall necrotizing inflammation and a paucity of immunoglobulin deposition. Clinically, in vitro and experimental animal model observations indicate a direct pathogenic role for ANCA. This review focuses on the results of experiments utilizing a mouse model of ANCA disease induced by transfer of mouse anti-MPO IgG or anti-MPO lymphocytes into recipient mice, which causes small vessel vasculitis and glomerulonephritis that closely mimics human disease.