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Ascorbate-dependent decrease of the mucosal immune inflammatory response to gliadin in coeliac disease patients
D Bernardo1, B Martínez-Abad, S Vallejo-Diez
1Mucosal Immunology Lab, Department of Paediatrics & Immunology, Universidad de Valladolid-CSIC, Spain.
Allergologia Et Immunopathologia
|March 23, 2011
Summary
Ascorbate (vitamin C) supplementation significantly reduced the mucosal immune response to gluten in coeliac disease (CD) patients. This suggests vitamin C may be a potential supplementary therapy for managing CD.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Gastroenterology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- The interleukin-15 (IL-15)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway is implicated in coeliac disease (CD) pathogenesis.
- Ascorbate (vitamin C) is known to inhibit NF-κB activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of ascorbate supplementation on the mucosal immune response to gliadin in coeliac disease.
- To determine if ascorbate can down-regulate the IL-15/NF-κB axis in gliadin-stimulated CD intestinal biopsies.
Main Methods:
- Duodenal biopsy explants from treated CD patients were cultured in vitro with or without gliadin and ascorbate.
- Secretion levels of inflammatory mediators (nitrites, IFNγ, TNFα, IFNα, IL-17, IL-13, IL-6) and IL-15 were measured.
Main Results:
- Ascorbate supplementation significantly inhibited the secretion of nitrites, IFNγ, TNFα, IFNα, and IL-6 in response to gliadin.
- Ascorbate completely blocked gliadin-induced IL-15 production in CD patient biopsies.
- These inhibitory effects were observed even in patients with basal IL-15 production.
Conclusions:
- Ascorbate effectively decreases the mucosal inflammatory response to gluten in an intestinal biopsy culture model.
- Ascorbate shows potential as a supplementary therapeutic agent for coeliac disease.
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