Suppressor-cell activity in coeliac disease induced by alpha-gliadin, a dietary antigen

The wheat protein antigen alpha-gliadin, a fraction derived from gluten of molecular weight 60 000, activated suppressor cells from patients with coeliac disease but not from normal subjects or patients with Crohn's disease. Two other dietary antigens, casein and beta-lactoglobulin, failed to produce suppressor-cell activation. Since this phenomenon appears to be specific to coeliac disease, it may be of pathogenetic significance.