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Mechanisms of action of intravenous immunoglobulin
Benjamin Chaigne1, Luc Mouthon1
1Université Paris Descartes, Faculté de Médecine, Service de Médecine Interne, Centre de référence pour les vascularites nécrosantes et la sclérodermie systémique, Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France; Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France.
Taking advantage of the "World Apheresis Association/Société Française d'Hémaphérèse" meeting held in Paris in April 2016, this article reviews the current knowledge on the mechanisms of action of intravenous immunoglobulins. Immunoglobulins are a plasma-derived drug, which have been initially used as a replacement therapy for patients with antibody deficiency. Since 1980 they have also been used for their anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating efficacy in auto-immune diseases. Herein, we review the requirements for their production and composition before giving a specific attention to their mechanisms of action including substitution and immunomodulation.
Taking advantage of the "World Apheresis Association/Société Française d'Hémaphérèse" meeting held in Paris in April 2016, this article reviews the current knowledge on the mechanisms of action of intravenous immunoglobulins. Immunoglobulins are a plasma-derived drug, which have been initially used as a replacement therapy for patients with antibody deficiency. Since 1980 they have also been used for their anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating efficacy in auto-immune diseases. Herein, we review the requirements for their production and composition before giving a specific attention to their mechanisms of action including substitution and immunomodulation.
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