title: Anti-sulfatide reactivity in patients with celiac disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore a possible significance of the presence of anti-ganglioside and anti-sulfatide antibodies in sera of adult patients with celiac disease (CD) in different clinical scenario.
  
  
  METHODS
  We selected 22 adult patients with newly diagnosed CD and 20 age-sex matched non-CD controls. Patients' serum was tested - before and after at least 6 months on a gluten-free diet (GFD) - for anti-GM1, GM2, GM3, GD1a, GD1b, GD3, GT1a, GT1b, GQ1b and sulfatide IgM, IgG and IgA auto-antibodies, by means of a dot blot technique and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found the presence of auto-antibodies in untreated patients. In particular, anti-sulfatide IgG antibodies were present in 8 (36%) patients independently of the presence of neurological symptoms. Anti-sulfatide IgA antibodies were present in 3 (19%) patients. During GFD, anti-sulfatide IgG disappeared in all the patients, whereas IgA were observed in 2 patients. Anti-sulfatide, anti-GM1 and anti-GM2 IgM antibodies were also observed in 2 patients on a GFD. All the other auto-antibodies were absent and no demographic or clinical parameters were associated. Non-CD controls did not present any auto-antibody.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found anti-sulfatide IgG antibodies in CD patients on a gluten-containing diet. Anti-sulfatide IgA antibodies persisted during GFD together with the occurrence of other IgM auto-antibodies. These data suggest a possible link between gluten and IgG auto-antibodies.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Neurology Unit , Dino Ferrari Center, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Domenica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saccomanno
authors.affiliation: b Centre for the Prevention and Diagnosis of Celiac Disease, Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit , Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tomba
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Neurology Unit , Dino Ferrari Center, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Magri
authors.affiliation: c ZenTech S. A. , Angleur , Belgium.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Backelandt
authors.affiliation: b Centre for the Prevention and Diagnosis of Celiac Disease, Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit , Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.|d Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences , University of Milan , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Leda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Roncoroni
authors.affiliation: d Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences , University of Milan , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Doneda
authors.affiliation: b Centre for the Prevention and Diagnosis of Celiac Disease, Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit , Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Bardella
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Neurology Unit , Dino Ferrari Center, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo Pietro
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Comi
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Neurology Unit , Dino Ferrari Center, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Nereo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bresolin
authors.affiliation: b Centre for the Prevention and Diagnosis of Celiac Disease, Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit , Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.affiliation: b Centre for the Prevention and Diagnosis of Celiac Disease, Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit , Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Elli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000276:immunology; D055050:Diet, Gluten-Free; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000276:immunology*; D005983:Glutens / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000097:blood*; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013433:Sulfoglycosphingolipids / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D005732:Gangliosides; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D013433:Sulfoglycosphingolipids; D005983:Glutens
keywords: Auto-antibodies; anti-sulfatide reactivity; celiac disease; gluten-free diet; neurological disorders