Other potential mechanisms that may contribute to IVIg's beneficial effects in autoimmune bullous dermatoses include anti-idiotypic antibodies against anti-BP180 IgG, which were demonstrated in IVIg and prevented BP180 degradation ex vivo (36), and a reduction of pro-inflammatory interleukin 6, which was recently demonstrated in IVIg-treated murine experimental bullous pemphigoid models (37). Here, COL17A1 is linked to bullous pemphigoid.