IgA is important for clearance and critical for protection from rotavirus infection.
Based on a lack of severe phenotype in human immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency syndromes, the role of IgA in controlling respiratory and gastrointestinal (GI) infections has not been clearly defined. C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice lacking IgA (IgA(-/-)) were developed and used to address this question. When exposed to a common GI virus, rotavirus, IgA(-/-) mice exhibited a substantial and significant delay in clearance of the initial infection compared with wild-type mice. IgA(-/-) mice excreted rotavirus in stool up to 3 weeks after the initial exposure compared with 10 days observed in wild-type mice. Importantly, IgA(-/-) mice failed to develop protective immunity against multiple repeat exposures to the virus. All IgA(-/-) mice excreted virus in the stool upon re-exposure to rotavirus, whereas wild-type mice were completely protected against re-infection. These findings clearly indicate a critical role for IgA in the establishment of immunity against a GI viral pathogen.
Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
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Metzger
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D056704:Adaptive Immunity; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D015870:Gene Expression; D017098:IgA Deficiency / Q000276:immunology*; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D019562:Viral Load
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A