Small intestinal T cells of celiac disease patients recognize a natural pepsin fragment of gliadin

Y Van De Wal, YMC Kooy… - Proceedings of the …, 1998 - National Acad Sciences
Y Van De Wal, YMC Kooy, PA Van Veelen, SA Peña, LM Mearin, Ø Molberg, KEA Lundin
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1998National Acad Sciences
Celiac disease is a common severe intestinal disease resulting from intolerance to dietary
wheat gluten and related proteins. The large majority of patients expresses the HLA-DQ2
and/or DQ8 molecules, and gluten-specific HLA-DQ-restricted T cells have been found at the
site of the lesion in the gut. The nature of peptides that are recognized by such T cells,
however, has been unclear so far. We now report the identification of a gliadin-derived
epitope that dominantly is recognized by intestinal gluten-specific HLA-DQ8-restricted T …
Celiac disease is a common severe intestinal disease resulting from intolerance to dietary wheat gluten and related proteins. The large majority of patients expresses the HLA-DQ2 and/or DQ8 molecules, and gluten-specific HLA-DQ-restricted T cells have been found at the site of the lesion in the gut. The nature of peptides that are recognized by such T cells, however, has been unclear so far. We now report the identification of a gliadin-derived epitope that dominantly is recognized by intestinal gluten-specific HLA-DQ8-restricted T cells. The characterization of such epitopes is a key step toward the development of strategies to interfere in mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of celiac disease.
National Acad Sciences