IgG4 deficiency in IgA-deficient patients.

Abstract

IgG subclass deficiency may be an important factor in the infection proneness of some IgA-deficient subjects. Although several studies on IgG subclass deficiency in IgA-deficient subjects have been reported, most have been unable to assess the incidence of IgG4 deficiency because the limitations of the assay methods used have often made a distinction between low normal and subnormal concentrations impossible. Having developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay capable of measuring concentrations of all the IgG subclasses in healthy subjects of all ages and having established age-normal ranges for IgG subclasses using this assay, we measured IgG subclass concentrations in 73 IgA-deficient patients, the majority of whom were children with recurrent respiratory infections. The results showed that IgG4 deficiency occurred in 26% of the patients and was the most common IgG subclass deficiency found. IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3 deficiencies occurred, respectively, in 10, 12 and 8% of the patients. IgA-IgG4 deficiency occurred in 16% of the patients; IgA-IgG2-IgG4 in 4%; and IgG1-IgG2-IgG4, IgA-IgG1 and IgA-IgG2-IgG3 each occurred in 3%. Other subclass deficiencies or combinations of deficiencies were less frequent. Our results suggest that IgG4 deficiency even in the absence of IgG2 deficiency may be an important but hitherto largely unrecognized factor in infection proneness in some IgA-deficient patients.