Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026
A High-Throughput Multiplexed Screening for Type 1 Diabetes, Celiac Diseases, and COVID-19
Published on: July 5, 2022
Uselessness of anti-actin antibody in celiac disease screening
Elisa Fabbro1, Laura Rubert, Sara Quaglia
1Department of Reproductive and Development Science, University of Trieste and I.R.C.C.S. "Burlo Garofolo" Trieste, Italy.
Background:
Serum anti-actin IgA antibodies (AAA) were identified in patients with celiac disease (CD), and a close correlation emerged between the presence of AAA and mucosa damage, but test for AAA found in celiacs have a wide range of sensitivity and specificity values.
Aim:
To compare 1) the sensitivity and specificity of untreated, calcium-chelated and heated sera from 102 celiacs, 52 sick patients and 103 healthy controls in the determination of AAA, and 2) the reliability of AAA with anti-transglutaminase antibodies (anti-tTG) in diagnosing celiac disease and in predicting intestinal damage. The intestinal derived AAA was isolated by using the phage-display library technique.
Results:
Treated sera was significantly more sensitive than untreated (p=0.0001), and showed a significant correlation between AAA and the three degrees (3a, 3b, 3c) of intestinal damage (p=0.01). Sensitivity and specificity values of anti-tTG assay were higher than the AAA assay, and anti-tTG serum-concentration was only significantly correlated with more severe (3b and 3c) intestinal damage degrees. AAA isolated by phage display showed similar results of serum AAA in immunofluorescence assay.
Conclusions:
Notwithstanding correlation between AAA and celiac disease, AAA assay, also after treatments, has little to offer in screening for CD compared to the well-established anti-transglutaminase assay.
