IgA Saliva ELISA

Intended use

Immunoenzymatic colorimetric method for quantitative determination of IgA in saliva. IgA Saliva ELISA kit is intended for laboratory use only.

Clinical significance

IgA represents about 15% to 20% of immunoglobulins in the blood, they are also found in the mucus secreted in the stomach, lungs and intestines. This prevents the microbes to bind to epithelial cells of the respiratory and digestive tract. This immunoglobulin helps to fight against pathogens that contact the body surface, are ingested, or are inhaled. It exists in two forms, IgA1 (90%) and IgA2 (10%) that differ in the structure. IgA1 is found in serum and made by bone marrow B cells, however IgA2 is made by B cells located in the mucosae and has been found to secrete into, colostrum, maternal milk, tears and saliva. The IgA found in secretions have a special form. They are dimeric molecules, linked by two additional chains. One of these is the J chain (from join), which is a polypeptide of molecular mass 1.5 kD, rich with cysteine and structurally completely different from other immunoglobulin chains. The dimeric form of IgA in the outer secretions also has a polypeptide of the same molecular mass (1.5 kD) called the secretory chain and is produced by epithelial cells. Decreased or absent IgA, termed selective IgA deficiency, can be a clinically significant immunodeficiency.