Simultaneous induction of specific immunoglobulin A-producing cells in major and minor salivary glands after tonsillar application of antigen in rabbits

The immunoglobulin A (IgA)-producing cells in the stroma of major salivary glands are induced by antigenic stimulation of the mucosal immune system. W hether such cells also are induced in minor salivary glands by this stimula tion remains to be determined. After application of sheep red blood cells t o the palatine tonsils every 3 days for 6 weeks, anti-sheep red blood cell IgA was detected in saliva both by agglutination tests and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Using enzyme-linked immunospot assay, an increase in the number of anti-sheep red blood cell IgA-producing cells was found in mi nor as well as in major salivary glands of the sixth week of application; s uch cells constituted 4.9% to 5.9% of the total number of IgA-producing cel ls in these tissues. Tonsillar application of whole cells of formalin-kille d Streptococcus sobrinus induced anti-S. sobrinus IgA in saliva. The number of anti-S. sobrinus IgA-producing cells in the above glands simultaneously increased over 6 weeks, and reached 5.2-5.6% of the total number of IgA-pr oducing cells.