A new animal model in sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a systematic granulomatous disorder, characterized by an exaggerated chronic inflammatory response to an unknown target. The aetiology of sarcoidosis is unclear. It indicates a presumed genetic susceptibility towards the disease while a yet unknown infectious or non-infectious agent leads to the onset of sarcoidosis. Recent studies provide evidence for a mycobacterial aetiology. M. tuberculosis catalase-peroxidase (mKatG) was identified as a candidate pathogenic tissue antigen that stimulates B and T cell responses in sarcoidosis. While several studies support a mycobacterial etiology of sarcoidos…