[Animal models for intractable vasculitis: significance of genetic background]

Almost all of intractable vasculitis have been thought to develop mainly in immunological mechanisms, based on the data from several animal models previously established. Serum sickness models, microbe-induced models and others have contributed to supporting this idea. These models have furthermore indicated that vasculitis could be generated by exogenous factors in normal individuals, and that vasculitis might be explained in monism. However, recent studies in murine lupus suggest that intractable vasculitis requires endogenous factors involving retroviruses and/or genetic background under the control of polygene system. In this review, although not comprehensive, significance of background genes in vasculitis will be focused.