Dh. Nahm et al., ELEVATION OF SPECIFIC IMMUNOGLOBULIN-A ANTIBODIES TO BOTH ALLERGEN AND BACTERIAL-ANTIGEN IN INDUCED SPUTUM FROM ASTHMATICS, The European respiratory journal, 12(3), 1998, pp. 540-545
The antigenic specificity and pathogenetic significance of immunoglobu
lins in airway secretion from asthmatic patients have not been establi
shed. Elevated levels of B-cells and immunoglobulin (Tg)A antibodies h
ave been reported in sputum of asthmatics and these levels correlated
with the eosinophil counts and levels of degranulated cytotoxic protei
ns from eosinophils, This study aimed to investigate the antigen speci
ficity and possible pathogenetic significance of antibodies in airway
secretion from asthmatic patients, Specific IgA and IgG antibodies to
both allergen (Dermatophagoides farinae) and bacterial antigen (capsul
ar polysaccharide antigen from Streptococcus pneumoniae) were measured
in sputum from 16 atopic asthmatic patients sensitized to D, farinae
and 12 nonatopic, nonasthmatic controls by enzyme-linked immunosorbent
assay. Sputum was induced by inhalation of hypertonic saline. Eosinop
hil cationic protein (ECP) levels in sputum from asthmatic patients we
re measured by the Pharmacia CAP system, Levels of IgA to both D. fari
nae and S. pneumoniae and IgG to D. farinae in the sputum from asthmat
ic patients were significantly higher than those from controls (p<0.00
5). No significant difference was found in the levels of IgG to S. pne
umoniae between the two groups, In asthmatic patients, there were sign
ificant correlations between IgA to D. farinae and S. pneumoniae (r=0.
76, p=0.003), Sputum ECP levels correlated significantly with IgA to D
. farinae (r=0.55, p=0.03) and S. pneumoniae (r=0.56, p=0.03) and IgG
to D. farinae (r=0.52, p=0.04), but not with IgG to S. pneumoniae in a
sthmatic patients. In conclusion, specific immunoglobulin A antibodies
to both allergen and bacterial antigen were elevated in induced sputu
m from atopic asthmatics and their possible involvement in eosinophil
degranulation was suggested.