THE IMMUNOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT OF FREE SECRETORY PIECE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO LOCAL IGA PRODUCTION

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 45  (1) , 124-130
Abstract
Free secretory piece (FSP) was studied in the sputum of patients with chronic bronchitis. The concentrations were higher both in the presence of infection and when greater quantities of total secretory piece were present compared to the amount of 11S IgA. A significant inverse correlation was found between the amount of FSP and 11S IgA in the individual samples when standardized for their total secretory piece content (2 P < 0.01). The amount of FSP in any sample probably is partly dependent upon the amount of 11S IgA. The techniques employed offer a method for the study of the secretory IgA system in biological fluids. The secretory IgA system probably is independent of the systemic IgA system.