Considerations for the use of salivary IgA for monitoring mucosal immune function.

Introduction: We aimed to make recommendations concerning the use of total IgA in saliva (s-IgA) as an aid for monitoring athletic and military training.

Methods: Unstimulated whole saliva was collected from 16 subjects (11 women and 5 men ages 18-57) during nonconsecutive days of fasting and non-fasting. Seven samples were collected from each subject at 0700, 0900, 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800, and 2030 on each day and a further three samples were collected 30 min after three meals on the non-fasting day (at 0730, 1230, and 1830).

Measurement of immunoglobulin A in saliva by particle-enhanced nephelometric immunoassay: sample collection, limits of quantitation, precision, stability and reference range.

Background: Total immunoglobulin A in saliva (s-IgA) is normally assayed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We have investigated methodological issues relating to the use of particle-enhanced nephelometric immunoassay (PENIA) to measure s-IgA in whole unstimulated saliva and determine its reference range.

Methods: Whole unstimulated resting saliva was collected to determine sample stability (temperature, time, effect of a protease inhibitor), limit of quantitation (LOQ), assay precision and analytical variation.