Celiac Autoantibodies Research Articles

Retrospective Evaluation of Risk Factors for Ischemic Heart Disease in Patients with Dermatitis Herpetiformis

Background and Purpose: Some have proposed that the cardiovascular risk among individuals with DH differs from that of the general population. This study aimed to analyze cardiovascular risk factors in DH patients and compare them to a matched control group without DH or celiac disease.
 
 Methods: This was a retrospective hospital-based study involving patients diagnosed with DH, both clinically and histopathologically, along with age- and sex-matched control subjects without the disease. The presence of ischemic heart disease, and the risk factors including laboratory values, treatment and comorbidity histories were evaluated comparatively. (SPSS version 28.0). 
 
 Results: Thirty-five patients with DH and 49 controls were included. No significant difference was found between the DH patients and controls regarding the prevalence of ischemic heart disease (22.9% vs. 14.3%, p:0.312). Diabetes mellitus was significantly higher and HDL cholesterol levels were significantly lower in the DH group (respectively, p: 0.044 and p: 0.018). Celiac autoantibodies, the laboratory values, or treatments did not show any significant correlation with heart disease in DH.
 
 Conclusion: This study revealed that HDL cholesterol were significantly lower in DH patients compared to general population. More research is needed to optimize the cardiovascular health of DH patients.

Circulating circular RNA profiles associated with celiac disease seropositivity in children with type 1 diabetes.

IntroductionThe frequency of celiac disease autoantibody (CDAb) positivity in type 1 diabetes (T1D) has increased due to unclear mechanisms, including autoimmune injury. Circular ribonucleic acids (circRNAs) participate in autoimmune diseases, but the roles of circRNAs in T1D with CDAbs are currently unknown. This study aimed to determine the frequency of CDAbs in Chinese children with T1D and describe the relationship between CDAbs and circRNAs.Materials and methodsEighty patients diagnosed with T1D were screened for CDAbs and CD-predisposing genes, and circRNAs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected from 47 patients. The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was searched for candidate circRNAs in related studies on T1D PBMCs. Data on clinical characteristics (i.e., blood glucose control, residual islet function, and daily insulin dosage) and immunophenotypes (i.e., islet autoantibodies and immune cell subsets) were collected.ResultsIn total, 35.0% of patients were positive for CDAbs. CD-predisposing genes accounted for 52.5% of the genes, and no significant difference in frequency was found between the CDAb-positive (CDAb+) and CDAb-negative (CDAb–) groups. In addition, among the differentially expressed circRNAs from the GEO database, five highly conserved circRNAs homologous to humans and mice were screened, and only the expression of hsa_circ_0004564 in the CDAb+ group significantly decreased (CDAb+ vs. CDAb–:1.72 ± 1.92 vs. 11.12 ± 8.59, p = 6.0 × 10–6), while the expression of hsa_circ_0004564 was upregulated in the general T1D population. Moreover, its parental gene RAPH1 was significantly upregulated (CDAb+ vs. CDAb–:1.26 ± 0.99 vs. 0.61 ± 0.46, p = 0.011). Importantly, the positive correlation between hsa_circ_0004564 and CD3+ cells was validated in children with T1D after adjustments for CDAbs (p = 0.029), while there were no correlations between hsa_circ_0004564 and clinical characteristics or other immune cell subsets (i.e., CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and natural killer cells).ConclusionThis study highlights the importance of screening for CD in Chinese children with T1D, considering the high prevalence of CDAb positivity and CD-predisposing genes. The profile of candidate circRNAs in children with T1D with CDAbs was different from that in previous reports on general T1D patients from the GEO database. Moreover, hsa_circ_0004564 and its parental gene RAPH1 may be new targets for studying immune mechanisms in children with T1D and CD.

Coeliac disease re-screening among once seronegative at-risk relatives: A long-term follow-up study.

BackgroundSerological screening of the relatives of coeliac disease patients is widely endorsed. However, the need for and the optimal timing of possible re‐testing of once seronegative at‐risk individuals for coeliac disease remain unclear.ObjectiveWe investigated this issue by inviting a large cohort of previously screening‐negative relatives of patients with coeliac disease to participate in a follow‐up study.MethodsAltogether 599 relatives of coeliac disease index patients not diagnosed with coeliac disease in a screening study carried out in 2006–2010 were asked about possible later diagnosis or re‐tested with coeliac disease autoantibodies in 2017–2021. Besides incidence, the possible impact of various patient‐related clinical factors and HLA haplotype on the later diagnosis or screening positivity was examined.ResultsFifteen (2.5%) relatives were either diagnosed with a coeliac disease (n = 8) during the follow‐up period or were found to be screening‐positive in the re‐testing (n = 7), giving a combined annual incidence of 221/100,000 person‐years in all relatives and 336/100,000 among those carrying coeliac disease‐associated HLA DQ2/DQ8. The new cases more often carried the high‐risk (DQ2.5/2.5 or DQ2.5/2.2; 35.7% vs. 7.4%, respectively, p < 0.001) HLA and were younger at initial screening (23.3 vs. 40.5 years, p = 0.028) and – in spite of a negative screening outcome – had higher median transglutaminase antibody level in the first study than those not affected. There were no significant differences between the affected and non‐affected relatives in other demographic data, degree of kinship with the index, current symptoms or frequency of chronic co‐morbidities.ConclusionThe incidence rate for later coeliac disease diagnosis or new seropositivity in relatives who had been tested once was 221/100,000 person‐years in all and 336/100,000 among those carrying at‐risk HLA genetics after ∼10 years of follow‐up. HLA‐typing could help to target a subgroup of relatives who would benefit most from re‐testing.

MO243: Intestinal Fatty-Acid Binding Protein: A Potential Biomarker of Enterocyte Damage in IGA Nephropathy?

Abstract BACKGROUND AND AIMS An abundance of inflammatory cells has been found in duodena of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients [1, 2]. The degree of intestinal inflammation was shown to correlate with the amount of proteinuria and haematuria in IgAN [3]. Serum intestinal fatty-acid-binding protein (I-FABP) has shown to correlate with the degree of enterocyte damage in untreated coeliac disease (CD) patients [4]. The median level of I-FABP in untreated CD patients was 785 pg/mL and 173 pg/mL in healthy controls [5]. We conducted this study hypothesizing that I-FABP would be elevated in IgAN as a potential biomarker for the presence of subclinical enterocyte damage and intestinal inflammation. CD was excluded with coeliac autoantibody tests. METHOD This study was carried out at the Tampere University Hospital and Tampere University, Finland. Altogether 85 IgAN patients participated (median age 55 years, 54% males). None of the patients had progressed to end-stage kidney disease, nor had they a diagnosed enteropathy. Fifteen healthy controls (median age 57 years, 47% males) were participants from our previous CD studies. Coeliac autoantibodies were determined from the serum samples by measuring IgA class endomysial antibodies (EmA) and transglutaminase antibodies (tTGAb). EmA was determined by an in-house indirect immunofluorescence method using human umbilical cord as substrate. A serum dilution of 1: ≥ 5 was considered positive. tTGAb levels were determined with EliA Celikey assay (ThermoFisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA, cut-off for positivity 7.0 U/mL). The serum levels of I-FABP were determined with a commercially available ELISA kit (Hycult Biotech, Uden, The Netherlands, detection limit 47 pg/mL). Current kidney function was available in 68 IgAN patients (80%), and eGFR &amp;gt;60 mL/min/1.73 m2 was regarded as preserved kidney function. RESULTS I-FABP levels among IgAN patients (median 830 pg/mL, IQR 475–1378) were higher (P &amp;lt; .001) compared with healthy controls (289 pg/mL, IQR 199–568). A total of 57% of the IgAN patients from whom the data on current kidney function were available had preserved kidney function. Also, I-FABP levels in IgAN patients with preserved kidney function (650 pg/mL, IQR 419–880) were higher compared with healthy controls (P .006). tTGAb levels in IgAN patients (1.3, 0.8–1.9 U/mL) were higher (P &amp;lt;.001) compared with healthy controls (0.6, 0.3–0.7 U/mL). One IgAN patient had a borderline elevated tTGAb of 7.1 U/mL. No one had an elevated EmA test result. I-FABP and tTGAb levels had no correlation (rS 0.182, P = .051). CONCLUSION The clear difference in the levels of I-FABP in IgAN patients with preserved kidney function compared with healthy controls was of utmost interest. Elevated I-FABP may represent enterocyte injury and intestinal inflammation present in IgAN. Even though CD was excluded serologically, also the tTGAb levels were higher among IgAN patients. These findings spur us in search for an intestinal process in the pathophysiology of IgAN.

Changes in the presentation of newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes in children during the COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary center in Southern Turkey

Abstract Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health problem with high morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to investigate patients who were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during the pandemic and evaluate the effect of the pandemic on the clinical findings of these patients by comparing them with findings from a year prior. Methods Patients diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus between 2019 and 2021 were separated into two groups: Patients diagnosed prepandemic and those diagnosed during the pandemic. Results The number of newly diagnosed diabetes cases increased from 46 in the prepandemic period to 74 in the pandemic period. The number of cases diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in the clinic increased from 58.7 to 91.9%. We found that moderate and severe DKA rates from 18.5 and 14.8% to 23.5 and 22.1%, respectively. Besides, the average HbA1c was higher, while the average bicarbonate was lower in cases diagnosed during the pandemic period compared to the prepandemic period (p=0.048 and p&lt;0.001, respectively). We found that celiac autoantibody positivity antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (anti GAD) positivity, and islet cell antibodies (ICA), ICA and anti GAD positivity coexistence were higher (p=0.045, p=0.008, and p=0.007, respectively) among the patients diagnosed during the pandemic. Conclusions We observed an increase in the number of patients newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus, an increase in autoantibody positivity, and higher rates and severity of DKA during the COVID-19 pandemic period compared to the prepandemic period.

Celiac disease serology and gut microbiome following protein pump inhibitor treatment

Background:Celiac disease is an autoimmune enteropathy characterized by an aberrant immune response to ingested gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. Studies have pointed to a rising prevalence of celiac disease in recent decades. Changes in diet and use of medication that may impact the gut microbiome have been suggested as potential contributors. Exposure to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) was recently found to be associated with an increased risk for subsequent diagnosis of celiac disease. We aimed to investigate potential mechanisms for this link by examining the relationship between PPI use and gluten-related immune responses in the context of changes in gut microbiome.Methods:We performed a post hoc analysis of blood and fecal samples from a recent randomized trial in order to assess the potential association between PPI use and development of celiac disease serology in conjunction with alterations in gastrointestinal microbial composition. The study included 12 healthy participants who were administered a PPI (Omeprazole; 40 mg twice daily) for 4 or 8 weeks.Results:The analysis did not reveal an overall significant change in levels of serologic markers of celiac disease for the study cohort in response to PPI treatment. However, one individual developed a marked increase in the celiac disease-specific autoantibody response to transglutaminase 2 in conjunction with enhanced immune reactivity to gluten during the trial. Genotyping revealed positivity for the celiac disease-associated HLA-DQ2 and -DQ8 alleles. Furthermore, the observed elevation in antibody responses was closely associated with a sharp increase in fecal abundance of bacteria of the order Actinomycetales.Conclusions:The results of this exploratory analysis support further investigation of molecular mechanisms involved in the contribution of PPIs to celiac disease risk through the potential enhancement of gluten immunopathology and changes in gut microbial population.

Celiac autoantibody positivity in relation to clinical characteristics in children with type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder with a high risk of celiac disease (CD). This study aimed to determine the celiac autoantibody status and the clinical characteristics among children with type 1 diabetes and autoantibody positivity for CD compared to those without serological evidence of CD. In this cross-sectional study, 240 children with type 1 diabetes underwent serological screening CD. Blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), hemoglobin, calcium, phosphorous, Vitamin D, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) were evaluated. The participants were screened for human anti-endomysial antibody and human anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody. Of the 240 children with type 1 diabetes, 66 children were antibody positive for either anti-endomysial or anti-tissue transglutaminase or both autoantibodies for CD. There were 36 (54.5%) female and 30 (45.5%) male children with the mean age of 15.5±2.1 years. The mean duration of diabetes was 6.8±3.8 years. Only 35 (14.6%) children were found to have serological evidence of CD. CD is associated with type 1 diabetes. Serological screening for CD autoantibody should be performed routinely in children with type 1 diabetes. There is discrepancy in screening CD with antibodies, so a prospective follow-up of this cohort is needed for endoscopic evaluation and histopathological examination of intestinal biopsy to confirm CD in this population. Anti-endomysial and anti-tissue transglutaminase autoantibodies should be included for screening CD among children with type 1 diabetes. Patients should undergo an endoscopy to confirm a diagnosis of CD.

Diagnostic accuracy and applicability of intestinal auto-antibodies in the wide clinical spectrum of coeliac disease.

BackgroundIntestinal coeliac auto-antibodies are the marker of coeliac disease (CD). Since the determination of these antibodies is still not widely available, we used immunoassays to identify the most suitable technology for revealing intestinal auto-antibodies in the wide clinical spectrum of CD.MethodsIntestinal auto-antibodies have been prospectively investigated in CD suspected children using two immunoassays: intestinal-deposits of IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (anti-tTG) and biopsy-culture IgA anti-endomysium (AEA). Intestinal IgM antibodies have been determined in IgA-deficient subjects.FindingsTwo-hundred and twenty-one suspected CD patients were enrolled. Intestinal antibodies were tested positive for both assays in classical CD patients (n = 178) with villous atrophy and positive serum-CD antibodies, potential CD patients (n = 16) with normal intestinal mucosa and positive serum-CD antibodies, and pre-potential CD patients (n = 14) with normal intestinal mucosa and negative serum-CD antibodies. In 13/221 with normal intestinal mucosa, negative CD-serum antibodies and negative intestinal antibodies CD has been excluded. All classical, 14/16 potential and 11/14 pre-potential CD patients on gluten-free diet (GFD) improved their symptoms. In 9/11 pre-potential patients intestinal antibodies disappeared on GFD. Both assays were negative in 69/71 control subjects. The two assays showed high diagnostic sensitivity (100%) and specificity (99%).InterpretationIntestinal CD-antibodies make prompt diagnosis in the wide clinical spectrum of CD reducing the delay in diagnosis and treatment, especially in pre-potential CD patients. The easy handling biopsy culture assay is an effective diagnostic tool which should be carried out by any gastroenterology unit to recognize all CD clinical manifestations.FundingInterreg Central-Europe, IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”.

The Prevalence of Celiac Disease-Specific Auto-Antibodies in Type 1 Diabetes in a Moroccan Population.

Objective We aimed to determine the prevalence of specific auto-antibodies to celiac disease (CD) in Moroccan type 1 diabetic (T1D) patients and compare the clinical and biological characteristics of seropositive and seronegative cases. Patients and Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out on 276 T1D patients including 109 adults and 167 pediatric cases. The screening for CD was performed by an Elisa IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody (tTGA) testing, combined with IgA quantification by nephelometry. Positive-IgA-tTGA cases were secondly tested for anti-endomysial antibodies (EMA) using an immunofluorescence technique, and the IgA deficiency cases were screened for IgG-tTGA. Patients with low positive tTGA titers underwent HLA-DQ2/DQ8 typing. Sociodemographic and clinical data of the patients were collected using a hetero-administered questionnaire. The comparison of clinical and biological data between seropositive and seronegative diabetics was done using independent T, Mann–Whitney U, chi-squared, and Fisher tests, which were considered significant if p value <0.05. Results The prevalence of CD-specific auto-antibodies was estimated to be 9.1% (IC = 95%), with 25 positive cases in tTGA and EMA testing. Eight cases displayed low titers of IgA-tTGA, among which 4 were positive for HLA-DQ2, 1 for HLA-DQ8, and 1 for both DQ2 and DQ8. The other 2 cases had a biopsy-proven CD. Compared to seronegative patients, seropositive cases had a higher percentage of associated autoimmune disorders (16% vs. 2.4%, p=0.008), with a significant lower height Z-scores (median: −0.90 (−3.93 to 0.95) vs. −0.51 (−4.54 to 2.18), p=0.029) and a higher HbA1c level (median: 11.30% (7.31 to 16.00) vs. 9.30% (4.40 to17.31), p=0.022). Conclusion The current study gave evidence of a high prevalence of CD specific auto-antibodies in T1D population. The co-existence of these two conditions was associated with a poor glycemic control, a lower height, and other autoimmune diseases. These findings may suggest the necessity of a systematic screening of CD in T1D patients.

Dietary Factors and Mucosal Immune Response in Celiac Disease Patients Having Persistent Symptoms Despite a Gluten-free Diet.

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of dietary factors, distinct small-bowel mucosal immune cell types, and epithelial integrity in the perpetuation of gastrointestinal symptoms in treated celiac disease patients. For unexplained reasons, many celiac disease patients suffer from persistent symptoms, despite a strict gluten-free diet (GFD) and recovered intestinal mucosa. We compared clinical and serological data and mucosal recovery in 22 asymptomatic and 25 symptomatic celiac patients on a long-term GFD. The density of CD3 and γδ intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs), CD25 and FOXP3 regulatory T cells, and CD117 mast cells, and the expression of tight junction proteins claudin-3 and occludin, heat shock protein 60, interleukin 15, and Toll-like receptor 2 and 4 were evaluated in duodenal biopsies. All subjects kept a strict GFD and had negative celiac autoantibodies and recovered mucosal morphology. The asymptomatic patients had higher mean fiber intake (20.2 vs. 15.2 g/d, P=0.028) and density of CD3 IELs (59.3 vs. 45.0 cell/mm, P=0.045) than those with persistent symptoms. There was a similar but nonsignificant trend in γδ IELs (17.9 vs. 13.5, P=0.149). There were no differences between the groups in other parameters measured. Low fiber intake may predispose patients to persistent symptoms in celiac disease. There were no differences between the groups in the markers of innate immunity, epithelial stress or epithelial integrity. A higher number of IELs in asymptomatic subjects may indicate that the association between symptoms and mucosal inflammation is more complicated than previously thought.

Detection of Celiac Disease Autoantibodies with a Rapid and Noninvasive Diagnostic Biosensor

Celiac Disease (also known as gluten‐sensitive enteropathy and nontropical sprue) is estimated to affect between 0.5–1.0% of the general population of the United States (1.6 million to 3.3 million during 2017) with many of these cases being under‐diagnosed. Celiac Disease (CD) is the genetic hypersensitivity to ingested exogenous gluten. Subsequent exposure to gluten related proteins lead to the development of an autoimmune response, causing damage to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. Due to increased inflammation, symptomatic individuals present with abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and many other gastrointestinal complications. However, some individuals affected by CD are asymptomatic creating increased diagnostic error. An accurate diagnosis of CD remains challenging; current diagnostic procedures involve multi‐day serological screening, followed by invasive gastrointestinal biopsies of suspected lesions. Baring this in mind, there is a pressing need for a rapid, non‐invasive, and accurate detection method to diagnose individuals suffering from this disease. Our method is based on the known autoimmune interactions related to CD. Specifically, we observe the formation of a structured complex between a unique epitope—a chimera of tissue transglutaminase 2 and truncated gluten peptide—and the autoantibodies produced in response to the presence of gluten related proteins. Conducted within our research, we demonstrate a CD‐related diagnostic tool for early, accurate, and rapid disease identification of affected individuals. This tool is a electrochemical DNA‐based biosensor (E‐DNA) that relies on peptide epitopes acting as capture probes to detect levels of disease‐specific antibodies. This commonly used biosensor is utilized to detect small changes in electrical conductivity to determine whether or not a target molecule has been bound. In principle, this sensor design can be utilized for unprocessed finger‐lancet blood samples to provide a rapid digital readout, allowing for efficient and accurate diagnoses of CD affected patients.Support or Funding InformationThis work is supported by internal grant funding from the Metropolitan State University of Denver.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

P108 Time course of Coeliac autoantibodies in children diagnosed with and without duodenal biopsy

P108 Time course of Coeliac autoantibodies in children diagnosed with and without duodenal biopsy

Case report on pathogenetic link between gluten and IgA nephropathy

BackgroundA relationship between IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and celiac disease (CD) has been reported. We show the pathogenetic link for the first time.Case presentationA 39-year-old man with cystic fibrosis (CF) and CF-related diabetes started to present gross hematuria, back pain and headache. At admission, laboratory analysis showed increase in serum creatinine of 1.5 mg/dl, together with hematuria and mild proteinuria (1 g/24 h). He underwent a renal biopsy to investigate the cause of hematuria and renal failure. Biopsy was consistent with IgAN. In view of patient reported dyspepsia, an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with duodenal biopsies was undertaken and was normal. We looked for mucosal deposits of tTG-2 in the duodenum and the renal mesangium. tTG-2 deposits were found both in the duodenum and in renal biopsies, where they topographically replicated mesangial IgA deposits. After one year on a continued gluten containing diet, the patient developed a Marsh 2 type duodenal pathology.ConclusionsOur findings suggest a connection between CD and IgAN in terms of an immune-mediated gluten-induced pathogenesis even in the absence of villous atrophy and serum celiac autoantibodies.

Collagenous Enteritis is Unlikely a Form of Aggressive Celiac Disease Despite Sharing HLA-DQ2/DQ8 Genotypes.

Collagenous enteritis is an uncommon small intestinal injury pattern with unclear pathogenesis. While it has been speculated that collagenous enteritis represents a form of refractory celiac disease, recent clinical studies suggest a potential link to exposure to the antihypertensive medication olmesartan. Here we hypothesized that the pathogenesis of collagenous enteritis involves both genetic and environmental factors. All subjects with biopsy-proven collagenous enteritis diagnosed between 2002 and 2015 were identified from 2 tertiary care medical centers. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DQ genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction on archived tissue. Celiac disease serology, past medical history, medications, smoking history, demographics, histology, clinical management, and follow-up were recorded. A total of 32 subjects were included. In contrast to celiac disease, subjects with collagenous enteritis were mostly elderly (median age at diagnosis, 69 y; range, 33 to 84 y). Seventy percent of collagenous enteritis subjects harbored celiac disease susceptibility alleles HLA-DQ2/DQ8; however, only 1 subject had elevated serum levels of celiac disease-associated autoantibodies while on a gluten-containing diet. Furthermore, 56% of subjects were taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, 36% proton-pump inhibitors, 28% statins, and 32% olmesartan at the time of diagnosis. Discontinuation of olmesartan and treatments with steroids and/or gluten-free diet resulted in symptomatic and histologic improvement. Neither lymphoma nor collagenous enteritis-related death was seen in this cohort. Therefore, while collagenous enteritis shares similar HLA genotypes with celiac disease, the difference in demographics, the lack of celiac disease-associated autoantibodies, and potential link to medications as environmental triggers suggest the 2 entities are likely distinct in pathogenesis.

The roles of MHC class II genes and post-translational modification in celiac disease.

Our increasing understanding of the etiology of celiac disease, previously considered a simple food hypersensitivity disorder caused by an immune response to cereal gluten proteins, challenges established concepts of autoimmunity. HLA is a chief genetic determinant, and certain HLA-DQ allotypes predispose to the disease by presenting posttranslationally modified (deamidated) gluten peptides to CD4+ T cells. The deamidation of gluten peptides is mediated by transglutaminase 2. Strikingly, celiac disease patients generate highly disease-specific autoantibodies to the transglutaminase 2 enzyme. The dual role of transglutaminase 2 in celiac disease is hardly coincidental. This paper reviews the genetic mapping and involvement of MHC class II genes in disease pathogenesis, and discusses the evidence that MHC class II genes, via the involvement of transglutaminase 2, influence the generation of celiac disease-specific autoantibodies.

Thiol/disulphide homeostasis in celiac disease.

AIMTo determine dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis in celiac disease and to examine the associate with celiac autoantibodies and gluten-free diet.METHODSSeventy three patients with celiac disease and 73 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. In both groups, thiol/disulphide homeostasis was examined with a new colorimetric method recently developed by Erel and Neselioglu.RESULTSIn patients with celiac disease, native thiol (P = 0.027) and total thiol (P = 0.031) levels were lower, while disulphide (P < 0.001) level, disulphide/native thiol (P < 0.001) and disulphide/total thiol (P < 0.001) ratios were higher compared to the control group. In patients who do not comply with a gluten-free diet, disulphide/native thiol ratio was found higher compared to the patients who comply with the diet (P < 0.001). In patients with any autoantibody-positive, disulphide/native thiol ratio was observed higher compared to the patients with autoantibody-negative (P < 0.05). It is found that there is a negative correlation between celiac autoantibodies, and native thiol, total thiol levels and native thiol/total thiol ratio, while a positive correlation is observed between disulphide, disulphide/native thiol and disulphide/total thiol levels.CONCLUSIONThis study is first in the literature which found that the patients with celiac disease the dynamic thiol/disulphide balance shifts through disulphide form compared to the control group.

Diagnostic value of blood tests for occult causes of initially idiopathic small-fiber polyneuropathy.

Small-fiber polyneuropathy (SFPN) causes non-specific symptoms including chronic pain, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and sweating complaints. Diagnosis is made from history and exam in patients with known risk factors such as diabetes, but objective test confirmation is recommended for patients without known risks. If tests confirm SFPN, and it is "initially idiopathic" (iiSFPN), screening for occult causes is indicated. This study's aim was to evaluate the 21 widely available, recommended blood tests to identify the most cost-effective ones and to learn about occult causes of iiSFPN. Records were reviewed from all 213 patients with SFPN confirmed by distal-leg skin biopsy, nerve biopsy, or autonomic-function testing in our academic center during 2013. We determined the prevalence of each abnormal blood-test result (ABTR) in the iiSFPN cohort, compared this to population averages, and measured the costs of screening subjects to obtain one ABTR. Participants were 70% female and aged 43.0±18.6years. High erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and antinuclear antibody (ANA; ≥1:160 titer) were most common, each present in 28% of subjects. The ABTR ≥3 ×more prevalent in iiSFPN than in the total population were high ESR, high ANA, low C3, and Sjögren's and celiac autoantibodies. Together, these suggest the possibility of a specific association between iiSFPN and dysimmunity. ABTR identifying diabetes, prediabetes, and hypertriglyceridemia were less common in iiSFPN than in the population and thus were not associated with iiSFPN here. The six most cost-effective iiSFPN-associated blood tests-ESR, ANA, C3, autoantibodies for Sjögren's and celiac, plus thyroid-stimulating hormone-had estimated cost of $99.57/person and 45.6% probability of obtaining one abnormal result. Angiotensin-converting enzyme was elevated in 45%, but no patients had sarcoidosis, so this test was futile here.

Transglutaminase 2 strongly binds to an extracellular matrix component other than fibronectin via its second C-terminal beta-barrel domain.

Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is a ubiquitous crosslinking enzyme present in both intra- and extracellular in many cell types and tissues. TG2 is upregulated upon cellular stress or injury, and extracellular TG2 is implicated in several human diseases, including celiac disease. However, incomplete knowledge about extracellular TG2 biology limits our understanding of how TG2 is involved in disease. Here, we demonstrate that binding of TG2 to the ECM of small intestinal tissue sections is the sum of binding to fibronectin (FN) via its N-terminal domain and binding to an abundant, novel extracellular matrix (ECM) interaction partner via its second C-terminal beta-barrel domain. The latter interaction dominates and gives rise to the characteristic reticular staining pattern of extracellular TG2. Of relevance for celiac disease, we show that self-multimerized TG2 does not efficiently deposit in the intestinal ECM, and TG2 complexes may thus become free-floating antigens in tissues in contrast to monomeric TG2 that would readily become sequestered by the ECM. Upon injection of monoclonal antibody targeting the FN-binding site, we observe antibody deposition on extracellular TG2 in cryosections, suggesting that the FN-binding site of TG2 is exposed in vivo. This would explain how and why celiac autoantibodies recognizing the FN-binding site of TG2 can bind TG2 in vitro, in situ as well as in vivo.

Pattern of thyroid, celiac, and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide autoantibodies coexistence with type 1 diabetes mellitus in patients from Southwestern Saudi Arabia.

Objectives:To investigate the seroprevalence of coexisting autoantibodies among type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients, and to look for possible correlations with age at diagnosis, diabetes duration, and glycemic control.Methods:This is a cross-sectional study conducted at Aseer Central Hospital, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from March 2013 to June 2014. A total of 202 T1DM patients were screened for serum anti-thyroglobulin (TG), anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO), anti-tissue transglutaminase (aTTG), anti-endomysial (EMA), and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies along with glycated hemoglobin, and biometric data.Results:From the 202 T1DM patients (96 males, and 106 females) (mean age: 11.3 years), 33 (16.3%) were positive for thyroid autoantibodies. Specifically, 19 (9.4%) were positive for TG and 25 (12.8%) were positive for TPO, and 11 were double positive. There were 21 (10.4%) patients that showed a double positive for both aTTG-IgA and EMA, and only one case of T1DM was positive for anti-CCP. No significant correlations were noticed between the presence of autoantibodies and the age at diagnosis, diabetes duration, body mass index, and glycemic control.Conclusion:The prevalence of thyroid and celiac disease autoantibodies is high among T1DM patients, while anti-CCP remains low and might be weakly associated with T1DM in the southwestern region of Saudi Arabia. No significant correlation between the age at T1DM diagnosis, duration, and glycemic control, and the presence of autoantibodies was found.

The Frequency Distribution of Celiac Autoantibodies in Alopecia Areata.

Background:Alopecia areata (AA) is a noncicatricial (nonscarring) alopecia. The association between AA and celiac disease (CD) is debatable. Several studies declare the relationship between AA and CD as measurement of celiac autoantibodies (anti-gliadin IgA and anti-gliadin IgG), but a few studies consider anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency distribution of celiac autoantibodies (all of them) in patients with AA compared with controls.Methods:This study is a case–control study. Thirty-five patients entered in each group. Anti-gliadin IgA, anti-gliadin IgG, and anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA were tested in all patients. Samples were examined in ELISA method with binding site's kits, and the result was reported as positive/negative. Finally, the frequency distribution of autoantibodies was examined.Results:The age average did not show a significant difference between two groups (P = 0.62). In addition, there was no significant difference between the two groups based on gender (P = 0.15). The prevalence of antibody in case and control groups was 2.85% and 0%, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.31).Conclusions:There may be a relationship between CD and AA, but the absence of statistical association between AA and CD does not mean that there is no relationship between gluten and AA in certain patients. Thus, we have shown here that the biological tests to search for CD do not bring information and proof enough, and it is why we recommend another approach to disclose gluten intolerance in AA patients.