GLIADIN SPECIFIC, HLA DQ2-RESTRICTED T-CELLS ARE COMMONLY FOUND IN SMALL-INTESTINAL BIOPSIES FROM CELIAC-DISEASE PATIENTS, BUT NOT FROM CONTROLS

The authors have analysed gliadin specific, CD4+ T cells isolated from small intestinal biopsies of 23 adult coeliac disease patients (20 on a gluten-free diet and three untreated) and nine control patients. Th e biopsies were stimulated ex vivo with a peptic/tryptic digest of gli adin for 24 h, and activated T cells were positively selected with par amagnetic beads coated with an antibody against the interleukin-2 rece ptor, The T cells were expanded and tested for gliadin reactivity and HLA restriction. Gliadin specific, polyclonal T cell lines were recove red from biopsies of all 23 patients. Inhibition studies of T cell lin es from 21 patients with anti-HLA monoclonal antibodies indicated pred ominant presentation of the gliadin antigen by HLA-DQ2 in T cell lines from 11 patients (lines from seven patients with complete MoAb inhibi tion, the remaining with incomplete inhibition) and incomplete inhibit ion by HLA-DR3 in lines from three patients, Nine gliadin specific T c ell clones from six patients were established; all of these were HLA-D Q2 restricted, Gliadin specific T cells were not found in biopsies fro m the non-coeliac controls, Our findings demonstrate that gliadin reac tive T cells are commonly found in the intestinal mucosa of CD patient s and they support the notion chat the majority of T cells recognize g liadin peptide(s) when presented by the disease associated DQ2 molecul es.