Elsevier

Respiratory Medicine

Volume 84, Issue 2, March 1990, Pages 123-127
Respiratory Medicine

IgA subclasses in sputum from patients with bronchiectasis

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0954-6111(08)80014-5Get rights and content

The concentrations of IgA1 and IgA2 were measured in the serum and sputum from 27 clinically stable patients with bronchiectasis. Of the 27 patients, nine were regularly producing mucoid secretions, nine mucopurulent and nine purulent secretions. No significant differences were observed in serum IgA2 concentrations between the patient groups, although IgA1 concentrations were higher in the serum from the patients producing mucopurulent sputum than those producing mucoid or purulent sputum. The sputum concentrations of both IgA1 and IgA2 increased significantly with purulence. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in the proportion of IgA2 as the secretions became more purulent. The sputum concentrations of both IgA subclasses indicated significant local synthesis, with increased production (especially of IgA2) in the presence of inflammation due to infection.

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Cited by (7)

  • Immunity and bacterial colonisation in bronchiectasis

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    Citation Excerpt :

    Stability of IgA2 is maintained better than IgA1 in the presence of infection because of resistance to IgA proteases produced by many pathogenic bacteria.9 There is increased production of IgA2 in the presence of infection indicated by an increase in the proportion of IgA2 with increasing sputum purulence.10 IgA in airway secretions binds to lectin-like bacterial adhesins blocking epithelial colonisation and operating as a generic immune barrier.

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