Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic non‑specific inflammatory bowel disease with incompletely elucidated pathogenesis, presenting with chronic abdominal pain, diarrhea and mucopurulent‑bloody stools. Its lesions, confined to the colorectal mucosa and submucosa with continuous‑diffuse distribution, may extend proximally to the whole colon and terminal ileum. UC develops from the interplay of environmental, genetic and gut microecological factors, and its incidence is rising globally, with distinct epidemiological differences between Western and Asian populations. Anti‑neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), including perinuclear ANCA (pANCA) and cytoplasmic ANCA (cANCA), are autoantibodies against neutrophil‑monocyte cytoplasmic components. ANCA seropositivity occurs in 20%‑60% of UC patients, predominantly the pANCA subtype, and is associated with more severe disease, higher relapse risk and frequent complications. Though ANCA serves as a signature marker for ANCA‑associated vasculitides, accumulating data have detected serum PR3‑ANCA and pANCA in 40%‑70% of UC cases. The exact pathogenic roles of ANCA in UC remain controversial. Based on updated evidence, this review systematically summarizes the diagnostic utility, pathological mechanisms, clinical correlates and therapeutic implications of ANCA in UC.

Zhao Chenqiong, Lu Yueyue. Basic Research on ANCA Positivity in Ulcerative Colitis. Frontiers in Medical Science Research (2026), Vol. 8, Issue 5: 1-11. https://doi.org/10.25236/FMSR.2026.080501.

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