Abstract
PREVENTION of entry of antigen into the systemic circulation through mucous membranes depends partly on the physical integrity of the mucous membranes and the mucous layer and, no doubt, on other nonspecific mechanisms. These systems are, however, not completely effective and there is also a specific acquired capacity for immune exclusion of antigen. For example, everted gut sacs from rats previously fed with an antigen show specific reduced transmission of the antigen, as compared with sacs prepared from animals not fed in this way1. Passive transfer in vivo, using cell free homogenates of mucosae from antigen-fed animals has also been reported but the mechanism was not identified2. One possibility is IgA antibody, the principal immunoglobulin of mucous secretions3, and this is supported by the demonstration of circulating antibody to food proteins in IgA deficient subjects4, and the association of allergic disease with IgA deficiency, either permanent5 or transient6.
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STOKES, C., SOOTHILL, J. & TURNER, M. Immune exclusion is a function of IgA. Nature 255, 745–746 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/255745a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/255745a0
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