title: Increased monomeric immunoglobulin A levels in tears from multiple sclerosis patients.
abstract: Mucosal immunity and the secretory antibody are known to be important defense mechanisms against many common viruses. Tears were selected as a representative mucosal fluid, and immunoglobulin A (IgA) was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblot. Tears from 38 normal controls and patients with systemic or ocular diseases contained almost exclusively polymeric IgA. In contrast, almost 75% of 23 patients with multiple sclerosis had detectable monomeric IgA in addition to polymeric IgA. The functional importance of this alteration in the molecular form of secretory IgA remains to be determined.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004194:Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A