Decreased expression of CD23 on peripheral blood macrophages/monocytes during acute Kawasaki disease with coronary artery lesions.

CD23 has been reported to be a macrophage/monocyte activation antigen. We focused on the expression of CD23 by peripheral blood macrophages/monocytes in 5 Kawasaki disease (KD) patients with coronary artery lesions (CAL) and compared these values with those of 35 patients without CAL. The expression of CD23 on peripheral blood macrophages/monocytes was assayed by a fluorescence-activated cell sorter using monoclonal antibodies CD23 and CD14. Absolute counts of CD23+CD14+ macrophages/monocytes in KD patients with CAL did not increase during the acute stage, while these values in KD patients without CAL increased. In addition, this decreased expression of CD23 on peripheral blood macrophages/monocytes in patients with CAL did not change during the acute stage, regardless of IVGG therapy. Our results suggest that the decreased expression of CD23 on peripheral blood macrophages/monocytes in patients with CAL is part of the regulatory system of CD23 antigen during acute KD.