Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a group of potentially life-threatening autoimmune diseases, characterized by pauci-immune necrotizing vasculitis of small vessels and circulating autoantibodies targeting the cytoplasmic constituents of neutrophils, especially proteinase 3 (PR3) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) (1). This evidence concerns the gene MPO and autoimmune disease.