Mechanisms of intravenous immunoglobulin action in the treatment of autoimmune disorders

• Published in: BioDrugs : clinical immunotherapeutics, biopharmaceuticals, and gene therapy biopharmaceuticals, and gene therapy, 2002, Vol.16 (1), p.47-55
• Main Authors: Larroche, Claire, Chanseaud, Youri, Garcia de la Pena-Lefebvre, Paloma, Mouthon, Luc
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adjuvants, Immunologic - metabolism; Adjuvants, Immunologic - pharmacology; Adjuvants, Immunologic - therapeutic use; Animals; Autoimmune Diseases - drug therapy; Autoimmune Diseases - immunology; Autoimmune Diseases - metabolism; Humans; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous - immunology; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous - metabolism; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous - pharmacology; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1173-8804
• DOI: 10.2165/00063030-200216010-00005

Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) are therapeutic preparations of normal human immunoglobulin (Ig) G obtained from pools of blood from more than 1000 healthy donors, and exert immunomodulatory effects in autoantibody-mediated and T-cell-mediated autoimmune disorders and systemic inflammatory diseases. IVIg mechanisms of action in autoimmune diseases have been extensively analysed during the last 15 years and include the following: (i) interaction of the IgG Fc fragment with Fc receptors on leucocytes and endothelial cells; (ii) interaction of infused IgG with complement proteins; (iii) monocyte and lymphocyte modulation of synthesis and release of cytokines and cytokine antagonists; (iv) modulation of cell proliferation and reparation; (v) neutralisation of circulating autoantibodies; (vi) selection of immune repertoires; and (vii) interaction with other cell-surface molecules on T and B lymphocytes.