title: Immunoglobulin class of agglutinins to oral microorganisms in post-irradiation cancer patients.
abstract: Fractionation of serum samples from head and neck cancer patients and their assay for agglutination activity toward oral microorganisms showed that the activity was derived from IgG, 7S IgA, 10S (dimeric) IgA, and IgM, with considerable activity in the 10S IgA region. These findings probably account for the lack of a significant relationship among levels of individual serum immunoglobulins, agglutination titers, and caries activity presented in an earlier study. Conversely, most of the agglutinating activity in fractionated saliva was attributed to 11S IgA, presumably secretory IgA, with some activity from a 19S substance and, in the caries-active patients, from a higher molecular weight factor. These data correspond to positive correlations between saliva IgA levels, agglutination titers, and absence of caries in these patients.
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000209:etiology; D003732:Dental Caries Activity Tests; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis*; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins