No observed local immunological response at cell level after five years of oats in adult coeliac disease

Abstract

Objective. Our earlier 5-year follow-up study produced the first evidence to show the long-term safety of oats as part of a coeliac diet. The objective of the present study was to clarify its applicability by analysing local cellular immunological responses after 5 years’ consumption of oats by adult coeliac patients. Material and methods. Forty-two coeliac patients took part in an earlier oats intervention study for 6–12 months. Twenty-two of these patients originally consumed oats as part of their gluten-free diet. During the 5-year follow-up 10 patients had felt uncertain about the safety of long-term consumption of oats and gave up this part of their diet. Finally, 12 of the 22 patients consumed oats for the whole 5-year period. The control group consisted of the remaining 20 coeliac patients using a strict, conventional, gluten-free diet without oats. Intraepithelial CD3, αβTCR (αβIEL) and γδTCR (γδIEL) T cells were counted after specific staining of small intestinal biopsy specimens. Results. There were no differences in the densities of CD3, αβIEL and γδIEL T cells between the oat and the control groups. Conclusions. Long-term use of oats included in the gluten-free diets of patients with coeliac disease does not stimulate an immunological response locally in the mucosa of the small intestine.