IgG and IgA antibody in tears of rabbits immunized by topical application of ovalbumin.

Rabbits were immunized by daily topical conjunctival application of ovalbumin. Control rabbits received ovalbumin intravitreally or intravenously. The direct plaque assay was used to detect IgM antibody-producing cells in lymph node, conjunctival, lacrimal gland and Peyer's patch tissues. A culture ELISA test was used to detect IgG and IgA antibody-producing cells. Serum and tears were tested for IgG antibody by ELISA and passive hemagglutination tests, and for IgA antibody by an ELISA assay. The conjunctival and cervical lymph node cells of topically immunized rabbits produced IgG and IgM antibodies. Neither IgG nor IgM antibody-producing cells were found in the Peyer's patches or lacrimal glands. Serum IgG antibody was detected by both ELISA and HA tests. IgG antibody was found (by the ELISA assay) in tears collected from most topically immunized rabbits, and from some intravitreally immunized rabbits, but not from the intravenously immunized animals. IgA antibody was found in tear samples collected after several weeks of daily topical immunization. IgA antibody-producing cells were detected in the conjunctival tissues, but not in the lymph nodes of those rabbits.