title: Gliadin presented via the gut induces oral tolerance in mice.
abstract: When an antigen is first presented via the gut, either priming or suppression of the systemic immune response may result. Many factors influence the outcome, including physico-chemical properties of the antigen. The aim of this study is to establish if wheat gliadin behaves as an oral immunogen or tolerogen. Mice reared on a gluten-free diet were fed gliadin, either as wheat flour in a standard rodent diet or as the purified molecule. Immune status (tolerant or sensitized) was then defined by measuring specific systemic immune responses after parenteral immunization of gliadin-fed and control mice. A single feed of 25 or 125 mg of purified gliadin resulted in a dose-dependent suppression of both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses. Similar oral tolerance was achieved by feeding mice with a gluten-containing diet for a week. Finally, mice reared on a normal, gluten-containing diet showed evidence of established oral tolerance, with significantly lower systemic immune response to gliadin than mice reared on gluten-free diet. These results indicate that gliadin is an effective oral tolerogen. In vivo studies on the immunogenicity of gliadins should be conducted in animals from gluten-free colonies.
authors.affiliation: Gastro-Intestinal Unit, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Troncone
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferguson
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004032:Diet; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D005903:Gliadin / Q000276:immunology*; D005983:Glutens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D010940:Plant Proteins; D005983:Glutens; D005903:Gliadin