DAILY EVENTS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A SECRETORY IMMUNE-RESPONSE TO AN ORAL ANTIGEN IN MEN

To examine a hypothesized link between daily stressful events and secr etory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) antibody, 96 adults from the community c ompleted daily event questionnaires and gave daily saliva samples for up to 12 weeks. They also ingested a capsule of a novel protein to cha llenge their secretory immune systems. The questionnaire yielded measu res of negative and positive experiences, of their content, and of neg ative and positive affect. On a within-subjects, day-to-day basis, rep orting more desirable events was related to more sIgA antibody, and re porting more undesirable events was related to less. Desirable events also had lagged (1 and 2 days), positive effects on sIgA levels. Undes irable work events and desirable leisure and household events were mor e strongly related to sIgA than events in other categories. Positive a ffect related directly to sIgA, and negative mood related inversely to same-day sIgA.