title: Serum transglutaminase 3 antibodies correlate with age at celiac disease diagnosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transglutaminase (TG)2 is the autoantigen in celiac disease, but also TG3 antibodies have been detected in the serum of celiac disease patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the correlations between serum TG3 antibodies and clinical and histological manifestations of celiac disease and to assess gluten-dependency of TG3 antibodies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Correlations between serum TG3 antibody levels measured from 119 adults and children with untreated coeliac disease and the demographic data, clinical symptoms, celiac antibodies, histological data and results of laboratory tests and bone mineral densities were tested. TG3 antibodies were reinvestigated in 97 celiac disease patients after 12 months on a gluten-free diet (GFD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  TG3 antibody titers were shown to correlate with the age at celiac disease diagnosis. Further, negative correlation with TG3 antibodies and intestinal γδ+ cells at diagnosis and on GFD was detected. Correlations were not detected with the clinical manifestation of celiac disease, TG2 or endomysial autoantibodies, laboratory values, severity of mucosal villous atrophy, associated diseases or complications. TG3 antibody titers decreased on GFD in 56% of the TG3 antibody positive patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum TG3 antibody positivity in celiac disease increases as the diagnostic age rises. TG3 antibodies did not show similar gluten-dependency as TG2 antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland; School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland. Electronic address: teea.salmi@uta.fi.
authors.forename: Teea T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Salmi
authors.affiliation: Tampere Center for Child Health Research, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Kalle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kurppa
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland; School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Kaisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hervonen
authors.affiliation: Tampere Center for Child Health Research, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Kaija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Laurila
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Alimentary Tract Surgery, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Pekka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Collin
authors.affiliation: Tampere School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Heini
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huhtala
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics and Research Program for Molecular Medicine, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Päivi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saavalainen
authors.affiliation: UKK Institute, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Harri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sievänen
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland; School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reunala
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland; Department of Internal Medicine, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Katri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaukinen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003874:Dermatitis Herpetiformis / Q000097:blood; D055050:Diet, Gluten-Free; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; C498712:TGM3 protein, human; D011503:Transglutaminases
keywords: Autoantibody; Dermatitis herpetiformis; Gluten-free diet