The effect of immunoglobulin on immune complexes in patients with Kawasaki disease (MCLS)

In mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome (MCLS) IgG and IgM class immune complex (IC) showed peak levels on day 10 to 20 after the onset of the disease respectively, and a transient decrease in IgM class IC was detected at the beginning of intravenous high dose gamma-globulin therapy (IHDGT). In in vitro examination, when gamma-globulin was added to the serum samples of MCLS patients, IgG class IC increased while IgM class IC decreased. Consumption of complements was also observed in these samples. Disposition of IC in the reticuloendothelial system seemed easier by both binding of gamma-globulin to IC and increasing complement bound to IC resulting in increasing complement-binding site. These results suggest that IHDGT is effective for the treatment of IC in MCLS. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) revealed 14 bands from 300 K.D. to 42 K.D. in IC of MCLS patients in the acute phase of the disease and prior to treatment. The immunoblotting method revealed that IC contains IgG, IgM, IgE, IgA, Clq, C3, and C4.