Regular article
Anti-IgA antibodies in selective IgA deficiency and in primary immunodeficient patients treated with γ-globulin

https://doi.org/10.1016/0090-1229(88)90072-4Get rights and content

Abstract

Sera from 106 blood donors, 40 patients with primary immunodeficiencies (ID) treated with γ-globulin, and 46 patients with selective IgA deficiency were analyzed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for anti-IgA antibodies. Increased levels of anti-bodies to IgA were found in 5.6% of the blood donors, 17.5% of the ID patients, and 36.8% of the isolated IgA deficiencies. The percentage was higher in patients with IgA and IgG2 deficiencies (50%). The percentage of patients having increased levels of anti-IgA antibodies was similar to the total prevalence of the 10 other autoantibodies studied. These anti-IgA antibodies were mainly of the IgG class, except from one blood donor with IgM antibodies, and two patients, one with isolated IgA deficiency and the other with common variable immunodeficiency who had anti-IgA antibodies of the IgE class. The latter patient developed a near fatal anaphylactic reaction when intravenous γ-globulin was administered. Most of the patients with severe adverse reactions to γ-globulin did not present anti-IgA antibodies. Our data suggest that at least in some immunodeficient patients the elevated amounts of anti-IgA antibodies are not related to the administration of exogenous IgA. The importance of measuring anti-IgA antibodies of the IgG and IgE isotypes in IgA-deficient patients as well as in patients in treatment with γ-globulin is emphasized.

References (27)

  • M.E. Gershwin et al.

    J. Pediatr.

    (1976)
  • A.J. Ammann et al.

    Clin. Immunol. Immunopathol.

    (1979)
  • G.N. Vyas et al.

    Lancet

    (1968)
  • J.V. Wells et al.

    Clin. Immunol. Immunopathol.

    (1977)
  • L. Rivat et al.

    Clin. Immunol. Immunopathol.

    (1977)
  • G.N. Vyas et al.

    Blood

    (1969)
  • N.K. Day et al.

    Amer. J. Med.

    (1984)
  • C. Cunningham-Rundles et al.

    Clin. Immunol. Immunopathol.

    (1986)
  • F. Klein et al.

    Clin. Chim. Acta

    (1985)
  • H.H. Fudenberg et al.

    Immunochemistry

    (1968)
  • C. Kamme et al.

    Acta Pathol. Microbiol. Scand. Sect. C.

    (1975)
  • R.E. Petty et al.

    N. Engl. J. Med.

    (1985)
  • A.W. Burks et al.

    N. Engl. J. Med.

    (1986)
  • Cited by (51)

    • Isotype Defects

      2014, Stiehm's Immune Deficiencies
    • Plasma Components as Targets of Damage

      2014, Pathobiology of Human Disease: A Dynamic Encyclopedia of Disease Mechanisms
    • The role of anti-IgA antibodies in causing adverse reactions to gamma globulin infusion in immunodeficient patients: A comprehensive review of the literature

      2012, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
      Citation Excerpt :

      In 1 of these patients, the presence of IgE anti-IgA was not replicated in another study using a similar ELISA method.24 Ferreira et al25 found subclass-specific IgE anti-IgA1 by means of ELISA in 1 patient with CVID having high-titer class-specific IgG anti-IgA. This patient had anaphylaxis with IVIG, which was discontinued, and further therapy was refused.

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text