1968 Volume 95 Issue 2 Pages 145-151
Serum immunoglobulin D (IgD) level was determined in 10 normal subjects, 5 cases of IgD-myeloma and 23 cases of various autoimmune diseases by the antibody-agar plate method using the antiserum against the heavy chain of IgD, which had been prepared in a rabbit immunized with an IgD-myeloma protein.
The serum IgD level was below 0.05mg/ml in normal subjects and above 10mg/ml in IgD-myeloma cases. In one case, IgD levels were serially followed; the level dropped to 1.0mg/ml by administration of cyclophosphamide. More than a half of cases of various autoimmune diseases showed the serum IgD levels of above 0.05mg/ml. The highest level in this autoimmune disease group was 0.14mg/ml in a case of aortitis. All of the 4 cases of aortitis studied showed IgD levels of above 0.05mg/ml. Whether serum IgD elevation in autoimmune diseases is an expression of general elevation of immunoglobulins or represents the elevation of antibodies specific for these diseases awaits further studies.
