Expression of CD180, a toll-like receptor homologue, is up-regulated in children with Kawasaki disease.

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile illness in childhood characterized by the formation of aneurysms in coronary arteries. It is believed that KD is caused by infectious agents because of its epidemic waves and high incidence of familial occurrence. Because an increase in the levels and dysfunction of B cells in peripheral blood was reported in KD, we investigated the expression of cluster of differentiation 180 (CD180), a toll-like receptor homologue, in the B cells of children with KD, and in those with bacterial or viral infections.

A polymorphism in the promoter of the CD14 gene (CD14/-159) is associated with the development of coronary artery lesions in patients with Kawasaki disease.

Objective: To investigate whether a polymorphism in the CD14 gene is associated with Kawasaki disease (KD).

Study Design: We extracted DNA from the whole blood of 69 control children and 67 patients with KD. We determined a polymorphism in the CD14 gene at position -159 upstream from the major transcription site (CD14/-159) by restriction fragment assay.