Patients with certain forms of systematic vasculitis, such as Wegener's granulomatosis, have circulating antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA). These inappropriately stimulate circulating neutrophils adhere to and thereby obstruct small vessels. This, together with ANCA-induced degranulation and an oxidative burst, leads to local tissue damage. The signaling pathways that are activated by ANCA IgG are distinct from those that are involved in normal neutrophil activation. This study shows that diacylglycerol kinase is selectively activated by ANCA and that the generated phosphatidic acid is responsible for promoting neutrophil adhesion, in part through integrin activation. The data presented point to diacylglycerol kinase alpha as a novel but selective target for the development of drugs to treat this potentially fatal disorder.
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