Relation Between Gingival Fluid and Mixed and Parotid Salivary IgA

Abstract

T H E PRESENCE OF immunoglobulins in external body fluids is well established but there is a need for more information concerning immunoglobulins of oral cavity fluids and their relationship to periodontal disease. Among the five major human immunoglobulin classes (IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD and IgE) IgA is the major antibody component in saliva, while IgG is the domi­ nating immunoglobulin in the gingival lesion. 1 3 Yet IgA comprises only about 15% of the serum immuno­ globulins. IgA has been detected also in the gingival fluid and in proportion and concentration comparable to that of plasma. 3 , 6 With regard to periodontal disease several workers have found that IgA content of whole saliva is elevated in persons with periodontal disease compared to those with normal periodontium, 2 , 3 , 7 9 but not all of those have had a positive correlation between IgA content and severity of the disease. , 8 In parotid saliva 7 , 1 0 and p lasma 7 , 8 ' 1 0 , 1 1 IgA concen­ tration was not found to be increased in the presence of periodontal disease, though there are a few workers who reported higher levels of IgA in serum 1 2 , 1 3 and in parotid saliva in that individual. The purpose of the present paper is to study the relative levels of the immunoglobulin IgA concentra­ tion in the gingival fluid, parotid and mixed human saliva in the presence of periodontal diseases and to speculate about the origin of the IgA in these fluids.