title: Studies of intestinal lymphoid tissue. XIV--HLA status, mucosal morphology, permeability and epithelial lymphocyte populations in first degree relatives of patients with coeliac disease.
abstract: Fifty two first degree relatives of patients with coeliac disease were investigated for HLA status, small intestinal permeability, and mucosal morphology together with the size of the intraepithelial lymphocyte pool and indices of lymphocyte activation, in an attempt to identify genetically determined markers of the disease. Thirty eight per cent of these subjects had increased intraepithelial lymphocyte populations and a highly significant association with HLA-DR3 compared with controls. Their intestinal permeability to 51chromium-labelled ethylenediamine tetraacetate was invariably normal and there was no evidence of abnormal mucosal architecture, increased crypt cell mitotic activity or lymphocyte 'activation'. Although increased intraepithelial lymphocyte counts clearly do not cause alterations in intestinal structure or function, it is likely that this parameter together with the HLA-DR3 status identifies a genetically determined predisposition to the disease which may only become clinically evident with larger doses of ingested gluten.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, (University of Manchester School of Medicine), Hope Hospital, Salford.
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bjarnason
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015803:HLA-DR3 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007583:Jejunum / Q000473:pathology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010539:Permeability
chemical_list: D015803:HLA-DR3 Antigen