Immunoglobulins in healthy controls: HLA-B8 and sex differences

Serum immunoglobulins were measured in one hundred and eighty-four healthy controls. One hundred and fifty-nine of these were also HLA typed. IgG levels did not differ with sex or HLA-B8 status. IgM levels did not differ with HLA-B8 status but were significantly higher in females than males. IgA levels were lower in females than males; they were also lower in HLA-B8 positive compared with HLA-B8 negative individuals; the lowest IgA levels were found in HLA-B8 positive females. The IgA variation may be relevant to the higher incidence of certain disorders among HLA-B8 positive individuals and among females.