Secretion of IgA in the sheep following local antigenic stimulation.

  • 1 October 1970
    • journal article
    • Vol. 19  (4) , 613-20
Abstract
The preparation is described of an antiserum specific for the locally produced immunoglobulin in whey from mammary glands of ewes infused with antigen about 1 month before lambing. In immunoelectrophoresis, the antiserum failed to react or reacted weakly with serum and with colostral whey from non-infused glands of primiparous ewes but reacted strongly with a protein of β-electrophoretic mobility in the colostrum and milk from infused glands. The majority of the antibody in whey from antigen-infused glands was eluted from DEAE Sephadex by buffer of relatively high ionic strength in association with the antigenically stimulated protein. Antibody activity in these fractions was heat stable. The antigenically stimulated protein was shown to be a carbohydrate-rich immunoglobulin distinct from IgG1, IgG2 and IgM. It is concluded that it is analogous to IgA of other species.