Detection of IgA heavy chain constant region genes in IgA deficient donors: evidence against gene deletions

Sixty-six donors with selective IgA deficiency and one patient with selective IgA2 deficiency were investigated for immunoglobulin gene defects using restriction enzyme digestions and Southern blot analysis. All patients carried alpha 1 and alpha 2 genes in their genome, suggesting that large deletions are uncommon causes for IgA deficiency. Digestion with Bam HI, Pst I and Pvu II, did not reveal any polymorphism in the studied samples.