title: Lack of evidence of rotavirus-dependent molecular mimicry as a trigger of coeliac disease.
abstract: New data suggest the involvement of rotavirus (RV) in triggering autoimmunity in coeliac disease (CD) by molecular mimicry between the human-transglutaminase protein and the dodecapeptide (260-271 aa) of the RV protein VP7 (pVP7). To assess the role of RV in the onset of CD, we measured anti-pVP7 antibodies in the sera of children with CD and of control groups. We analysed serum samples of 118 biopsy-proven CD patients and 46 patients with potential CD; 32 children with other gastrointestinal diseases; 107 no-CD children and 107 blood donors. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay, we measured immunoglobulin (Ig)A-IgG antibodies against the synthetic peptides pVP7, the human transglutaminase-derived peptide (476-487 aa) which shows a homology with VP7 protein and a control peptide. The triple-layered RV particles (TLPs) containing the VP7 protein and the double-layered RV-particles (DLPs) lacking the VP7 protein were also used as antigens in ELISA assay. Antibody reactivity to the RV-TLPs was positive in 22 of 118 (18%) CD patients and in both paediatric (17 of 107, 16%) and adult (29 of 107, 27%) control groups, without showing a statistically significant difference among them (P = 0·6, P = 0·1). Biopsy-proven CD patients as well as the adult control group demonstrated a high positive antibody reactivity against both pVP7 (34 of 118, 29% CD patients; 66 of 107, 62% adult controls) and control synthetic peptides (35 of 118, 30% CD patients; 56 of 107, 52% adult controls), suggesting a non-specific response against RV pVP7. We show that children with CD do not have higher immune reactivity to RV, thus questioning the molecular mimicry mechanism as a triggering factor of CD.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Maternal and Child Health, I.R.C.C.S. 'Burlo Garofolo'.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ziberna
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology ICGEB.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Lorenzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schiavon
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arnoldi
authors.affiliation: Institute for Maternal and Child Health, I.R.C.C.S. 'Burlo Garofolo'.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quaglia
authors.affiliation: Institute for Maternal and Child Health, I.R.C.C.S. 'Burlo Garofolo'.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Leo
authors.affiliation: Institute for Maternal and Child Health, I.R.C.C.S. 'Burlo Garofolo'.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vatta
authors.affiliation: Institute for Maternal and Child Health, I.R.C.C.S. 'Burlo Garofolo'.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martelossi
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology ICGEB.
authors.forename: O R
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Burrone
authors.affiliation: Institute for Maternal and Child Health, I.R.C.C.S. 'Burlo Garofolo'.|Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.affiliation: Institute for Maternal and Child Health, I.R.C.C.S. 'Burlo Garofolo'.|Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Not
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D018716:Molecular Mimicry; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: VP7; coeliac disease; molecular mimicry; rotavirus