PIGR and tuberculosis: Despite extensive evidence for anti-Mtb antibody production in TB patients (Kunnath-Velayudhan et al., 2010, 2012), and a higher susceptibility of pIgR (IgA receptor)-deficient mice (Tjarnlund et al., 2006), initial studies examining the role of antibodies in TB indicated a modest impact in protective immunity, with benefits limited to passive administration of anti-Mtb antibodies (Glatman-Freedman and Casadevall, 1998; Roy et al., 2005; Abebe and Bjune, 2009).