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. 2009 Feb 21;15(7):845-8.
doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.845.

Correlation analysis of celiac sprue tissue transglutaminase and deamidated gliadin IgG/IgA

Eric V Marietta  1 , Shadi Rashtak, Joseph A Murray
Affiliations

Correlation analysis of celiac sprue tissue transglutaminase and deamidated gliadin IgG/IgA

Eric V Marietta et al. World J Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Aim: To indirectly determine if tissue transglutaminase (tTG)-specific T cells play a crucial role in the propagation of celiac disease.

Methods: Anti-deamidated gliadin peptide (DGP) and anti-tTG IgA and IgG were measured in the sera of celiac patients (both untreated and treated). The correlations were determined by Spearman's rank correlation test.

Results: In celiac patients, we found a very significant correlation between the production of DGP IgA and IgG (r = 0.75), indicating a simultaneous and ongoing production of these two isotypes reminiscent of oral vaccination studies. However, there was far less association between the production of tTG IgA and tTG IgG in celiac patients (r = 0.52). While tTG IgA was significantly correlated with DGP IgA (r = 0.80) and DGP IgG (r = 0.67), there was a weak correlation between production of anti-tTG IgG and the production of anti-DGP IgA (r = 0.38) and anti-DGP IgG (r = 0.43).

Conclusion: These data demonstrate that the production of anti-tTG IgA is directly correlated to the production of anti-DGP IgG and IgA, whereas anti-tTG IgG is only weakly correlated. This result therefore supports the hapten-carrier theory that in well-established celiac patients anti-tTG IgA is produced by a set of B cells that are reacting against the complex of tTG-DGP in the absence of a tTG-specific T cell.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Effect of diet upon isotype correlations. The titers of IgG and IgA against DGP and tTG were evaluated and plotted against each other for celiac patients. For mixed (treated and untreated) celiac patients, the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients were r = 0.75 for DGP (A) and r = 0.52 for tTG (B). For untreated celiac patients, r = 0.78 for DGP (C) and r = 0.60 for tTG (D). For treated celiac patients, r = 0.58 for DGP (E) and r = 0.44 for tTG (F).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparing anti-tTG IgA and IgG production with anti-DGP IgA and IgG. The titers of anti-tTG IgA (A-B) and anti-tTG IgG (C-D) were compared with the titers of anti-DGP IgA (A and C) as well as anti-DGP IgG (B and D) in all treated and untreated celiac patients. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients were 0.80 (A), 0.67 (B), 0.38 (C), and 0.43 (D).
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