Intestinal T cell responses to cereal proteins in celiac disease

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Gastroenterology
• Nutrition Science

Background:

• Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten in wheat.
• The role of barley, rye, and oats in celiac disease remains controversial.
• Understanding immune responses to these cereals is crucial for dietary recommendations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the immune reactivity of celiac mucosal T cell lines to wheat, barley, rye, and oats.
• To assess the impact of tissue transglutaminase (tTG) on cereal antigenicity.
• To clarify the implications of these findings for gluten-free diets.

Main Methods:

• Cultured T cell lines from celiac patients were exposed to protein fractions from wheat, barley, rye, and oats.
• Immune stimulation was measured by T cell proliferation ((3)H-thymidine incorporation) and cytokine production (IL-2, IFN-gamma).
• Some cereal fractions were pretreated with tissue transglutaminase before T cell exposure.

Main Results:

• All five T cell lines showed immunoreactivity to protein fractions from all four cereals.
• Reactivity to wheat, barley, and rye was enhanced by tissue transglutaminase pretreatment in some cell lines.
• Oats stimulated T cell lines but did not induce mucosal lesions in most celiac patients.

Conclusions:

• Wheat, barley, and rye exhibit similar T cell antigenic reactivity in celiac disease.
• These findings support the exclusion of wheat, barley, and rye from gluten-free diets.
• While oats stimulate T cells, they appear to be less harmful in most celiac patients.