SMALL-INTESTINAL T-CELLS OF CELIAC-DISEASE PATIENTS RECOGNIZE A NATURAL PEPSIN FRAGMENT OF GLIADIN

Celiac disease is a common severe intestinal disease resulting from in tolerance to dietary wheat gluten and related proteins. The large majo rity of patients expresses the HLA-DQ2 and/or DQ8 molecules, and glute n-specific HLA-DQ-restricted T cells have been found at the site of th e lesion in the gut. The nature of peptides that are recognized by suc h T cells, however, has been unclear so far. We now report the identif ication of a gliadin derived epitope that dominantly is recognized by intestinal gluten-specific HLA-DQ8-restricted T cells. The characteriz ation of such epitopes is a key step toward the development of strateg ies to interfere in mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of celiac disease.