Analysis of the autoantibody response directed against tissue transglutaminase in coeliac disease

Abstract

Coeliac disease is an inflammatory disease of the proximal small intestine caused by wheat gluten ingestion in genetically susceptible individuals. The mucosal pathology in coeliac disease is characterised by villous atrophy, crypt hyperplasia and increased levels of mononuclear cells in the epithelium and lamina propria. Although coeliac disease is one of the best characterised complex diseases, the mechanisms leading to the associated mucosal pathology are not well understood. A related gluten-sensitive disorder called dermatitis herpetiformis is characterised by a bullous skin rash caused by IgA deposits at the dermal-epidermal junction and a milder intestinal lesion.