The role of the endothelium in systemic small vessel vasculitis

• Published in: Clinical and experimental rheumatology Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. S135 - S140
• Main Authors: LITTLE, M. A, SAVAGE, C. O. S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pisa Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 01-05-2008
• Subjects: Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic - immunology; Autoantibodies - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Endothelial Cells - immunology; Endothelium, Vascular - immunology; Endothelium, Vascular - injuries; Humans; Medical sciences; Neutrophil Activation - immunology; Peroxidase - immunology; Sarcoidosis. Granulomatous diseases of unproved etiology. Connective tissue diseases. Elastic tissue diseases. Vasculitis; Vasculitis - immunology; Adenosine; Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody; Enzyme; Rheumatology; Cardiovascular disease; Wegener granulomatosis; Endothelium; Vascular disease; protease; Peptidases; Vasculitis; ANCA; Blood vessel; Systemic disease; Hydrolases; Disseminated; Wegener's granulomatosis
• ISSN: 0392-856X; 1593-098X

The endothelium is the back-drop against which the effects set in train by interactions between Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasm Antibodies (ANCA) and neutrophils are played out. This review considers the mechanisms of the endothelial cell injury that may result but also questions the impact of endothelial heterogeneity and endothelial cell activation in facilitation of vasculitic lesions, as well as the potential roles for endothelial-dependent anti-inflammatory mechanisms in controlling inflammation.