Pathogenicity of Propionibacterium acnes isolated from Kawasaki disease patients--cytopathogenic protein (CPP) isolated from P. acnes culture filtrates and measurement of the antibody against CPP.

Abstract

A culture filtrate of Propionibacterium acnes isolated from patients with Kawasaki disease was studied. After inoculation of the culture filtrate of these strains into human embryo liver cells, a cytopathogenic effect and vacuolation were recognized in the cells. From analysis of the culture filtrate, a specific cytopathogenic protein was found only in the culture filtrates from Kawasaki disease patients. This protein was approximately pI 7.0 and had a molecular weight of approximately 100, 000 daltons. The amount of IgG antibody (from sera of Kawasaki disease patients) against this substance (CPP) was measured using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). There were 124 serum samples available from 95 patients with 2-8 days duration of illness, 100 samples from 67 patients with 14-33 days of illness, 61 samples from 42 patients with 11-22 months of illness and 148 samples of age-matched controls. There was a significant elevation in the ELISA values in the patients' groups, particulally in the acute or subacute stages of the illness, as compared with controls.