Abstract
The production of immunoglobulins that may include specific antibodies to an unknown agent was investigated in Kawasaki disease. That is, serum immunoglobulin concentrations and the numbers of immunoglobulin-secreting cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) without culture in vitro were enumerated in the course of the disease, to assess immunoglobulin production at a certain point in vivo. Results showed that the numbers of IgM-, IgG-, or IgA-secreting cells increased in the acute stage prior to increases in serum IgM, IgG, or IgA concentrations, respectively. Moreover, in 2 patients who had a relapse of the illness, the numbers of immunoglobulin-secreting cells were high at the relapse compared with those within 1 week after the initial onset. These results suggest that measurement of immunoglobulin-secreting cells in PBMCs is useful for assessment of the immunoglobulin production ability at a certain point in vivo. Thus, immunoglobulins abnormally produced may include specific antibodies to the epitopes of a certain agent.
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