Neutrophils release neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), chromatin fibers that can ensnare bacteria. In small-vessel vasculitis (SVV), a chronic inflammatory condition linked to antineutrophil autoantibodies, these NETs express SVV-associated autoantigens, accumulate in inflamed kidneys and promote the autoimmune response against neutrophils in people with SVV.
- Kai Kessenbrock
- Markus Krumbholz
- Dieter E Jenne