Production and Function of Immunoglobulin A

Among antibodies, IgA is unique because it has evolved to be secreted onto mucosal surfaces. The structure of IgA and the associated secretory component allow IgA to survive the highly proteolytic environment of mucosal surfaces but also substantially limit IgA's ability to activate effector fu...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annual review of immunology 2021-04, Vol.39 (1), p.695-718
Main Authors: Hand, Timothy W, Reboldi, Andrea
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
germinal center
immunoglobulin A
microbiota
mucosal immunology
Peyer's patch
transforming growth factor beta
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Request full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Among antibodies, IgA is unique because it has evolved to be secreted onto mucosal surfaces. The structure of IgA and the associated secretory component allow IgA to survive the highly proteolytic environment of mucosal surfaces but also substantially limit IgA's ability to activate effector functions on immune cells. Despite these characteristics, IgA is critical for both preventing enteric infections and shaping the local microbiome. IgA's function is determined by a distinct antigen-binding repertoire, composed of antibodies with a variety of specificities, from permissive polyspecificity to cross-reactivity to exquisite specificity to a single epitope, which act together to regulate intestinal bacteria. Development of the unique function and specificities of IgA is shaped by local cues provided by the gut-associated lymphoid tissue, driven by the constantly changing environment of the intestine and microbiota.
ISSN:0732-0582
1545-3278
DOI:10.1146/annurev-immunol-102119-074236