Wang LY, et al. - Thirty-four antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients were assessed by the researchers to investigate the expression of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain containing protein 2 (NOD2), NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) and NOD-like receptor family CARD domain containing 5 (NLRC5) in kidneys and to further explore their associations with clinical and pathological parameters. NOD2, NLRP3 and NLRC5 was observed as significantly upregulated in kidneys in AAV patients than those from normal controls, minimal change disease or class IV lupus nephritis. While NLRs co-localized with podocytes and infiltrating inflammatory cells, crucially higher mean optical density of NOD2 in glomeruli in crescentic class than non-crescentic class and of NLRC5 in glomeruli in crescentic class than non-crescentic class were observed. Association between the expression of NOD2 and NLRC5 and the severity of renal lesions in AAV was noticed.