Diabetes-related autoantibodies do appear in children with coeliac disease.
Humoral immune factors related to type 1 diabetes have been investigated in children with coeliac disease. Anti-insulin (IAAb), immunoglobulin (alpha IgAb), islet cell (ICA) and glucagon autoantibodies were examined in 15 children with coeliac disease at diagnosis (group 1), in 15 children with coeliac disease following a gluten-free diet (group 2) and in 30 control patients (groups 3 and 4). IAAb were present in 27% of group 1 and in 20% of group 2 patients and alpha IgAb were significantly increased in group 1 and 2 patients; two patients in group 2 were positive for ICA; none of the coeliac disease patients were positive for anti-glucagon antibodies. The levels of anti-gliadin antibodies in group 1 were positively correlated with those of alpha IgAb. Coeliac disease-related HLA antigens were not correlated with antibody presence. The presence of diabetes-related humoral immune factors in coeliac disease raises the question as to whether or not they are predictive of subclinical pancreatic damage or whether they are simply indicators of a more general autoimmune diathesis.
Di Mario
U
U
Department of Endocrinology, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
Anastasi
E
E
Mariani
P
P
Ballati
G
G
Perfetti
R
R
Triglione
P
P
Morellini
M
M
Bonamico
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000097:blood*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005903:Gliadin / Q000276:immunology; D005934:Glucagon / Q000276:immunology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007223:Infant; D007328:Insulin / Q000276:immunology*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D001323:Autoantibodies; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007328:Insulin; D005903:Gliadin; D005934:Glucagon