Curr Opin Immunol. 2005 Dec;17(6):595-600. Epub 2005 Oct 7.
Abstract
Celiac
disease, which results from an immune reaction to ingested cereal
gluten proteins, has several autoimmune features. In particular, celiac
disease patients produce highly disease specific IgA and IgG
autoantibodies to tissue transglutaminase when they are on a
gluten-containing diet, and they have small intestinal intraepithelial
lymphocytes which can mediate direct cytotoxicity of enterocytes
expressing MIC molecules in an antigen non-specific manner. Similar to
typical autoimmune disorders, celiac disease has a multifactorial
aetiology with complex genetics, and several autoimmune diseases are
commonly presented by patients with celiac disease. Much has been
learned about the immunology of celiac disease in recent years, and
there is overwhelming evidence that the immune response to gluten is
central to the pathogenesis. In light of this, the many autoimmune
phenomena associated with celiac disease are thought-provoking, and they
challenge us to rethink the boundaries between autoimmunity and
immunopathology.
disease, which results from an immune reaction to ingested cereal
gluten proteins, has several autoimmune features. In particular, celiac
disease patients produce highly disease specific IgA and IgG
autoantibodies to tissue transglutaminase when they are on a
gluten-containing diet, and they have small intestinal intraepithelial
lymphocytes which can mediate direct cytotoxicity of enterocytes
expressing MIC molecules in an antigen non-specific manner. Similar to
typical autoimmune disorders, celiac disease has a multifactorial
aetiology with complex genetics, and several autoimmune diseases are
commonly presented by patients with celiac disease. Much has been
learned about the immunology of celiac disease in recent years, and
there is overwhelming evidence that the immune response to gluten is
central to the pathogenesis. In light of this, the many autoimmune
phenomena associated with celiac disease are thought-provoking, and they
challenge us to rethink the boundaries between autoimmunity and
immunopathology.
- PMID:
- 16214317
- [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
