[Immunoglobulin A and tobacco antigens in patients with pneumopathy].

Smoking is an addiction related with several cardiopulmonary diseases. Some compounds derived from tobacco combustion can be induce a response of secretory immune system, because antigen penetration is by respiratory tract epithelium, with IgA antibodies synthesis and immune complex (IC) generation. Seric anti-tobacco antibodies were showed in 44% of healthy smokers and 71% of non-smoker. In 56% of smokers and 38% at non smokers were found IC with 0.19 and 0.15 mg/ml of IgA respectively. Molecular weight of IC constituents were between 12 and 80 Kd. Sera were without free tobacco antigen. Pneumopathic patients had anti-tobacco antibodies in 100% of them and positive IC in 72% of smokers and 65% of non-smokers. IgA concentration in CI was 1.41 and 1.26 mg/ml respectively. Molecular weight of IC compounds were from 14 to 90 Kd. Free tobacco antigen in serum was observed in 44% of smokers and 41% of non-smokers pneumopathic patients. We concluded that patients with lung disease had higher frequency of anti-tobacco antibodies and IC, further IgA concentration in IC was higher and free tobacco antigen present in pneumopathic sera comparing with healthy people. The presence of circulating IC with IgA antibodies and the potential inductive influence of tobacco products in these entities, should provide an energetic stimulus to search the role of tobacco antigens in pulmonary inflammatory diseases.