Next generation strategies to recover immunological tolerance in celiac disease

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease that occurs in genetically predisposed individuals following the ingestion of gluten. Its prevalence is rising worldwide. A gluten-free (GF) diet is mandatory for the management of CD. However, several issues persist regarding the nutritional quality of GF products. Importantly, deep knowledge about the pathogenic mechanisms in CD highlights the central role of CD4⁺ T cell-mediated immunity in CD. Furthermore, intestinal T regulatory cells are functional in CD, but cytokines such as IL-15, produced under inflammatory conditions, hamper their activity. This paves the way for the development of immunomodulatory strategies to the GF diet. From this perspective, microbiological approaches were considered able to modulate the gluten-specific immune response. Interestingly, gliadin peptide-based immunotherapy to abolish the inflammatory CD4⁺T cell-mediated response has been explored in CD patients. Furthermore, different biotechnological approaches based on the use of chemically/enzymatically modified gluten molecules have been proved effective in different models of CD. However, the choice of the right age in infants to introduce the antigen and thus induce tolerance still remains an important issue to solve. Addressing all these points should help to design an effective intervention strategy for preventing CD.