Intravenous immunoglobulin suppresses the polarization of both classically and alternatively activated macrophages

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is one of the widely used immunotherapeutic molecules in the therapy of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Previous reports demonstrate that one of the anti-inflammatory actions of IVIG implicates suppression of macrophage activation and release of their inflammatory mediators. However, macrophages are highly plastic and depending on the microenvironmental signals, macrophages can be polarized into pro-inflammatory classic (M1) or anti-inflammatory alternative (M2) type. This plasticity of macrophages raised additional questions on the role of IVIG towards macrophage polarization. In the present report, we show that IVIG affects the polarization of both classically and alternatively activated macrophages and this process is F(ab')₂-independent. Our data thus indicate the lack of reciprocal regulation of inflammatory and non-inflammatory macrophages by IVIG.