Abstract
Summary: In order to better understand the factors determining serum levels of IgD, total serum IgD and IgE were studied in 23 nonallergic twin pairs, consisting of 16 monozygotic (Mz) and 7 samesex dizygotic (Dz) pairs. Both immunoglobulins were measured by a paper disc solid phase radioimmunoassay, sensitive to 1 ug/dl of IgD and 1 I.U./ml of IgE. Also studied were 10 paired sera taken at different times from 10 healthy subjects of similar mean age to the twins and 21 randomly paired sera from unrelated subjects.
The intrapair variance of both serum IgD and serum IgE levels were significantly less in Mz than in Dz twins (P < 0.05). Thus, there appears to be a genetic influence over serum IgD levels, probably to a similar degree to that previously shown to exist for serum IgE levels. Heritability was calculated to be 0.759 for IgD and 0.697 for IgE. Also, the intraclass correlation coefficient (rI) for IgD in monozygotic twin pairs was 0.9370 (P < 0.0001) and for IgE was 0.8602 (P < 0.001). It appears likely that the number of genetic loci controlling serum IgD levels is similar to, or less than, the number controlling serum IgE levels because the random pair/Dz pair variance ratio was lower for IgD than for IgE.
Speculation: Because serum IgD can now be measured accurately in all normal subjects, including newborn infants, it should be possible to determine not only the effect of heredity on serum levels but also the effect of specific diseases, infections, antigen exposures, growth, changes in the levels of other immunoglobulins, immunosuppressive agents, and other environmental influences. This will increase the understanding of the immunobiologic role of IgD, and will also facilitate interpretation of measurements of specific serum IgD antibodies and of cell surface IgD.
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Lee, S., Metrakos, J., Tanaka, K. et al. Genetic Influence on Serum IgD Levels. Pediatr Res 14, 60–63 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198001000-00014
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198001000-00014
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