Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies: two cases of changing antigenic specificity

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are predominantly IgG autoantibodies directed against constituents of primary granules of neutrophils and monocytes lysosomes. Although several antigenic targets have been identified, those ANCA directed to proteinase 3 or myeloperoxidase are clinically relevant, whereas the importance of other ANCA remains unknown. Both are strongly associated with ...

Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies

Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies in Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Infection with this bacterium is known to induce the development of autoantibodies of which a few are also known to be diagnostic markers for some other diseases. Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies (ANCA's) are among those autoantibodies used in clinical setting for diagnosing systemic vasculitic sy...

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in myelodysplasia.

Antibodies to neutrophil cytoplasmic antigens (ANCA) are good serological markers for patients with mainly vasculitic conditions. Two main types of ANCAs have been detected, the first termed cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (cANCA) are mainly associated with patients with Wegener's granulomatosis, the other termed perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (pANCA) are mainly...

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies: appropriate use and interpretation.

It was with much interest that we read the letter of Novikov et al on testing for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs) in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitides (AAV) and other diseases. In their letter, the authors (1) share their experience with direct testing for proteinase-3 (PR3) ANCA and myeloperoxidase (MPO) ANCA and (2) raise some important issues regarding interpretation o...