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Marsupial Immunoglobulins: An Immunoglobulin Molecule Resembling Eutherian IgA in Serum and Secretions of Setonix Brachyurus (Quokka)¹

From the Clinical Immunology Unit, The University of Western Australia, Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth, Western Australia

Abstract

An immunoglobulin class present in several external secretions and serum of the marsupial Setonix brachyurus (Quokka) is described. This immunoglobulin possesses antibody activity and shares light chain determinants with other serum immunoglobulin classes but has heavy chain antigenic determinants which are exclusive to this class. In milk the molecular weight exceeds 200,000 and in serum a bi-modal distribution suggests two separate molecular weight forms, one in excess of 200,000 and another of approximately 150,000. Local challenge of the mammary gland in lactating quokkas induced an antibody response in milk which was restricted to this class. The immunoglobulin was designated IgA by virtue of its biologic and physicochemical characteristics which were analogous to those of eutherian IgA.

Footnotes

¹ This work was supported by research grants from the Saw Medical Research Foundation, the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, and the Asthma Foundation of Western Australia. Some facilities were provided from a Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization grant to Professor H. Waring, Department of Zoology, University of Western Australia, for marsupial research.

² Department of Microbiology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia.

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