Immunity system complexity: the role of IgA (Introduction)

by David Turell , Tuesday, May 30, 2023, 17:20 (331 days ago) @ David Turell

Especially in the gut:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230526142236.htm

"A new study has demonstrated that IgA acts as a 'tuner' that regulates the number of microbes the body sees every day, restraining the systemic immune response to these commensal microbes and limiting the development of systemic immune dysregulation.

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"IgA (short for Immunoglobulin A) is an antibody protein that is part of the immune system and plays a role in fighting disease. It is found mainly in the respiratory and digestive tracts, but it can also be found in blood, saliva, tears, and breastmilk. To be diagnosed with IgA deficiency, patients must be over 4 years of age and have no IgA as determined through a blood test, as well as normal serum levels of IgG and IgM, without other known causes of immune deficiency.

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"'Based on these results, we propose that IgA supports the intestinal barrier to keep the proper balance of commensal microbes interacting with the immune system, acting as a tuner to keep the immune system in check," said co-senior author Michael Silverman, MD, PhD, an Assistant Professor and attending physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases at CHOP. "Without IgA protecting the gut, commensal bacteria can get through, increasing a patient's systemic exposure to these microbes and creating an inflammatory environment. Future studies with larger patient populations should investigate IgA levels in other target tissues and determine if these findings can be used to predict disease course and outcomes.'"

Comment: IgA is just one of many chemicals in the immune system all working at different levels of protection. IgA controls our gut biome which we need in a cooperative way.