Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Center for Basic and Clinical Immunology Research (CISI), University of Naples Federico II, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Clin Exp Med. 2023 Jul;23(3):929-941. doi: 10.1007/s10238-022-00828-x. Epub 2022 Apr 25.
Immunoglobulin A (Chan in J Allergy Clin Immunol 134:1394-14014e4, 2014), the second most abundant immunoglobulin in serum, plays an important role in mucosal homeostasis. In human serum, there are two subclasses of IgA, IgA1 (≅ 90%) and IgA2 (≅ 10%), transcribed from two distinct heavy chain constant regions. This study evaluated the serum concentrations of total IgA, IgA1, and IgA2, and total IgG, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4 in T2-high asthmatics compared to healthy controls and the presence of gender-related variations of immunoglobulins. Total IgA levels were increased in asthmatics compared to controls. Even more marked was the increase in total IgA in male asthmatics compared to healthy male donors. IgA1 were increased only in male, but not in female asthmatics, compared to controls. Concentrations of IgG2, but not IgG1, IgG3, and IgG4, were reduced in asthmatics compared to controls. IgG4 levels were reduced in female compared to male asthmatics. In female asthmatics, IgA and IgA1 levels were increased in postmenopause compared to premenopause. IgA concentrations were augmented in mild, but not severe asthmatics. A positive correlation was found between IgA levels and the age of patients and an inverse correlation between serum concentrations of IgA2 and IgE in asthmatics. A positive correlation between total IgA or IgA2 and IgG2 was found in asthmatics. These results highlight a gender dimorphism in IgA subclasses in male and female T2-high asthmatics. More adequate consideration of immunological gender disparity in asthma may open new opportunities in personalized medicine by optimizing diagnosis and targeted therapy.
免疫球蛋白 A（Chan 在 J Allergy Clin Immunol 134:1394-14014e4, 2014），血清中第二丰富的免疫球蛋白，在黏膜稳态中发挥重要作用。在人血清中，有两种免疫球蛋白 A 亚类，IgA1（≅90%）和 IgA2（≅10%），由两个不同的重链恒定区转录而来。本研究评估了 T2 高哮喘患者与健康对照者血清总 IgA、IgA1 和 IgA2 以及总 IgG、IgG1、IgG2、IgG3 和 IgG4 的浓度，以及免疫球蛋白的性别相关变化。与对照组相比，哮喘患者的总 IgA 水平升高。更明显的是，与健康男性供体相比，男性哮喘患者的总 IgA 增加。与对照组相比，仅在男性哮喘患者中 IgA1 增加，而在女性哮喘患者中则没有。与对照组相比，哮喘患者 IgG2 浓度降低，但 IgG1、IgG3 和 IgG4 浓度没有降低。与男性哮喘患者相比，女性哮喘患者 IgG4 水平降低。在女性哮喘患者中，绝经后 IgA 和 IgA1 水平高于绝经前。轻度哮喘患者 IgA 浓度增加，但重度哮喘患者则没有。在哮喘患者中发现 IgA 水平与患者年龄呈正相关，IgA2 与 IgE 血清浓度呈负相关。在哮喘患者中发现总 IgA 或 IgA2 与 IgG2 之间存在正相关。这些结果突出了 T2 高男性和女性哮喘患者中 IgA 亚类的性别二态性。更充分地考虑哮喘中的免疫性别差异可能通过优化诊断和靶向治疗，为个体化医学开辟新的机会。
