IgA nephropathy is the most common form of primary glomerulonephritis worldwide. Mucosal infections and food antigens, including wheat gluten, have been proposed as potential contributing environmental factors. Increased immune reactivity to gluten and/or association with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by ingestion of gluten, have been reported in IgA nephropathy. However, stu...

Local antibodies probably contribute to defense against Streptococcus pneumoniae. This study examined whether pneumococcal carriage and acute otitis media (AOM) induce mucosal antibodies to potential vaccine candidates pneumococcal surface adhesin A (PsaA), pneumolysin (Ply), and pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA). IgA to all 3 proteins was detected by EIA in saliva of 329 children at ages 6...

We have previously shown that human B lymphocytes cultured in the CD40 system, composed of an anti-CD40 mAb presented by a CD32-transfected fibroblastic cell line, proliferate but do not secrete antibodies. However, the addition of particles of Staphylococcus aureus Cowan (SAC) induces B cell differentiation even in the absence of exogenous cytokines (CD40/SAC system). Additionally, B lymphocyt...

In this method for identifying autoantibodies to lactate dehydrogenase (anti-LDs) in serum, we used immobilized Protein G to bind IgG-complexed LD and immobilized jacalin to bind IgA-complexed LD, leaving non-complexed LD in solution. The non-complexed LD and total LD were kinetically measured. We report results as LD bound to immobilized Protein G and LD bound to immobilized jacalin. Using ser...

BACKGROUND/AIM H. pylori infection and vitamin B12 (vB12) deficiency have high prevalence rates among Palestinians. It was observed that most people who suffered from vB12 deficiency were positive for H. pylori. MATERIALS AND METHODS The correlation between H. pylori infection and vB12 deficiency was investigated in a representative segment of the Palestinian population. ELISA was used to det...

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is characterized by deposition of IgA in the papillary dermis. However, indirect immunofluorescence is routinely negative, raising the question of the mechanism of formation of these immune deposits. Sárdy et al. (2002. J. Exp. Med. 195: 747-757) reported that transglutaminase-3 (TG3) colocalizes with the IgA. We sought to create such deposits using passive transfe...

Urine and serum samples from 89 healthy volunteers and three healthy individuals who underwent rubella vaccination were tested for immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA, and IgM to rubella virus (RV) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods. Subjects with positive (n = 68) or negative (n = 21) results for serum IgG were exactly the same as those with the corresponding results for urinary IgG. Both ur...

BACKGROUND Patients with common variable immunodeficiency often suffer from recurrent bacterial infections. Administration of immunoglobulins is a well-established treatment to reduce the frequency and severity of these infections. However, in patients with anti-IgA antibodies or side effects to previous immunoglobulin substitution therapy, administration of immunoglobulins may lead to anaphyla...

The beta-antigen of the c protein complex of group B streptococci contains two immunoglobulin A (IgA)-binding domains called A and B. A 73-amino-acid segment in domain A is responsible for most of the IgA-binding activity. To identify the IgA binding motif, the 73-amino-acid domain was divided into 60 14-amino-acid overlapping peptides spot synthesized onto a cellulose membrane. A 20-residue pu...

CCR5 is a chemokine receptor expressed on blood T lymphocytes and monocyte-macrophages; in the genital tract,1 it works as the main HIV coreceptor.2,3 CCR5 mediates HIV entry following sexual transmission. Many studies have addressed the role of the CCR5 molecule as a putative target to prevent HIV infection. Serum antibodies to CCR5, found in subpopulations of HIVexposed seronegative subjects ...