Human anti-neutrophil cytoplasm autoantibodies to proteinase 3 (PR3-ANCA) bind to neutrophils

PR3-ANCA in undiluted serum or plasma from PR3-ANCA-positive WG patients bind to TNFα- primed and PMA-stimulated PMN that express PR3 on their membrane. Therefore, the hypothesis that PR3-ANCA can bind and activate primed PMN is still the most attractive explanation for the contribution of PR3-ANCA to the pathogenesis of Wegener's granulomatosis.