What is the role of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody in the development of crescent glomerulonephritis?
Supervisor: Professor Stephen Holdsworth Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated crescentic glomerulonephritis (GN) is the most common form of severe crescentic GN occurring in man. The association of ANCA with this disease suggests a pathogenetic role for this antibody in the induction of injury. Measurement of ANCA is the standard way of diagnosing and monitoring this disease. Most research into new treatments are focussed on ANCA. However, this form of GN is characterised by the absence of antibody in glomeruli raising doubts about the role of ANCA as the inducer of injury. We have recently shown that T cells and macrophages (effectors of DTH) as invariably present in glomeruli of patients with ANCA associated GN. This suggests that DTH effectors not ANCA may induce the disease. The recent development of an animal model of crescentic ANCA associated GN allows these issues to be resolved. In this project, the experimental ANCA model will be induced in m chain gene knoc
