Abstract
Transgenic rats carrying the env-pX gene of human T-cell leukemia virus type I (env-pX rats) develop necrotizing angiitis resembling human polyarteritis nodosa (PN). In the development of vasculitis in these rats, the thymus plays an important role. In this review, we provide an outline of the pathogenesis of vasculitis observed in env-pX rats, and discuss the developmental mechanism of human necrotizing angiitis such as PN with an unknown cause. (*English Translation of J Jpn Coll Angiol 2009; 49: 17-20.)
