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. 1982 Jan;35(1):202–204. doi: 10.1128/iai.35.1.202-204.1982

Comparison fo agglutinin titers for Streptococcus mutans in tears, saliva, and serum.

M R Allansmith, C A Burns, R R Arnold
PMCID: PMC351016  PMID: 7054122

Abstract

The agglutinin titers for three Streptococcus mutans serotypes (AHT, BHT, and 10449, representing serotypes a, b, and c, respectively) were measured in the saliva, tears, and serum of 19 human subjects. Naturally occurring S. mutans agglutinins were routinely present in all fluids tested in the absence of overt local stimulation by antigen. The immunoglobulin A nature of this secretory agglutinin activity was suggested by blocking with alpha heavy-chain-specific antiserum and by the demonstration of S. mutans-reactive immunoglobulin A in the saliva and tears by indirect immunofluorescence. This finding is consistent with stimulation and antigen commitment of immunoglobulin A precursor lymphocytes at remote sites and subsequent homing to the lacrimal system. The relationship of anti-AHT agglutinins to anti-10449 agglutinins differed among the body fluids tested. The tears had more agglutinins for strain AHT than for strain 10449, whereas the reverse was true for saliva and serum. A possible explanation is local antigen-driven expansion of AHT-reactive committed lymphocytes in the lacrimal tissues.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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