A. Winzer et al., Secretory immunoglobulin A and cardiovascular reactions to mental arithmetic, cold pressor, and exercise: Effects of beta-adrenergic blockade, PSYCHOPHYSL, 36(5), 1999, pp. 591-601
We investigated the influence of sympathetic nervous system processes on mu
cosal immunity by comparing the effects of beta-adrenoceptor blockade with
40 mg propranolol and placebo on secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) at rest
and during paced serial arithmetic, cold presser, and submaximal cycling. T
hese tasks produced patterns of cardiovascular activity indicative of combi
ned alpha- and beta-adrenegic, alpha-adrenergic, and beta-adrenergic activa
tion, respectively. The effectiveness of the beta blockade was confirmed by
the attenuation under propranolol of the shortening of the cardiac preejec
tion period and the tachycardia elicited by mental arithmetic and exercise.
The cold presser test did not affect sIgA under either the placebo or the
propranolol. Mental arithmetic increased sIgA concentration, and this incre
ase was not blocked by propranolol. Exercise elicited increases in both sIg
A concentration and sIgA secretion rate, which were not diminished by beta
blockade. These data suggest that sIgA is not regulated by beta-adrenergic
mechanisms.