title: Rectal epithelial gamma/delta T-lymphocyte responses to local gluten challenge in coeliac disease.
abstract: The proportion of intra-epithelial lymphocytes (IEL) that utilize the gamma/delta form of the T-cell receptor (TCR) is increased in coeliac disease, but their function remains unexplained. The response of intra-epithelial lymphocytes to rectal gluten challenge in coeliac and control subjects was studied after a rectal challenge of 2 g of Frazer's fraction III. A marked rise in CD3+ IEL occurred after challenge in the coeliac patients, peaking at 6 h and returning to normal by 48 h, with no significant changes in the gamma/delta TCR+ IEL. The IEL did not significantly change after gluten challenge in the controls. Acute gluten challenge induces infiltration of the rectal mucosa by T cells in coeliac patients, which is not accompanied acutely by increased numbers of gamma/delta TCR+ IEL. This study supports the hypothesis that alpha/beta TCR+ T cells may be of importance in the early response of coeliac patients to local gluten challenge.
authors.affiliation: Rayne Institute, St Thomas's Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Sturgess
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loft
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kontakou
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Crowe
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Ciclitira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005983:Glutens; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis*; D012007:Rectum / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D005983:Glutens