The effects of modified versus unmodified wheat gluten administration in patients with celiac disease.

Celiac disease (CD) treatment requires a gluten-free diet (GFD), although alternative approaches have been proposed. Modification of gliadin peptides using microbial transglutaminase (mTG) inhibits their ability to induce immune response in vitro. Our aim was to evaluate the safety of mTG-modified wheat flour ingestion in CD patients.

One-step immunochromatographic visual assay for anti-transglutaminase detection in organ culture system: An easy and prompt method to simplify the in vitro diagnosis of celiac disease.

Background: Anti-tissue transglutaminase (anti-tTG) and endomysium antibodies (EMA) are detectable in duodenal culture media of celiac disease (CD) patients. To improve the management of this organ culture system, we evaluated the anti-tTG occurrence by immunochromatographic assay (ICA).

Methods: A total of 103 CD patients and 41 disease controls underwent duodenal biopsy for the organ culture.

Identification of a serum transglutaminase threshold value for the noninvasive diagnosis of symptomatic adult celiac disease patients: a retrospective study.

Background: A celiac disease (CD) diagnosis is based on duodenal histology, with the exception of children showing anti-tissue transglutaminase (anti-tTG) serum levels exceeding ten times the cut-off. Our aim was to reproduce this simplified approach in adults, identifying an anti-tTG threshold value useful to diagnose CD without endoscopic procedures.

Methods: A total of 671 adult CD patients were subjected to blood sampling to determine anti-tTG serum levels, as well as to endoscopy with biopsy to perform duodenal histology.

Extension of the celiac intestinal antibody (CIA) pattern through eight antibody assessments in fecal supernatants from patients with celiac disease.

Background: Detection of anti-transglutaminase, anti-endomysium and anti-gliadin antibodies is commonly used to screen celiac disease patients. Besides that in serum, these antibodies are detectable in culture supernatants of oral, duodenal and colonic biopsy samples, saliva, gut lavage fluid samples, and fecal supernatants. Our aim was to extend the intestinal antibody pattern in fecal supernatants from patients with celiac disease.

Peripheral blood lymphocyte typing as a useful tool to objectify the oral mucosa patch test in the diagnosis of allergic contact mucositis to nickel.

Nickel (Ni) exposure through the intestinal mucosa may cause a hypersensitivity reaction recently defined as allergic contact mucositis (ACM). This condition is identifiable by the oral mucosa patch test (omPT), a qualitative and subjective examination that requires clinical expertise. Our aim was to evaluate if a peripheral blood lymphocyte typing performed before and after the omPT for Ni may be able to objectify this examination for diagnostic purposes.

Immunological characterization of the allergic contact mucositis related to the ingestion of nickel-rich foods.

Background: The ingestion of nickel (Ni)-rich foods may result in allergic contact mucositis (ACM), a not yet well defined condition identifiable by oral mucosa patch test (omPT). Our aim was to characterize immunologically the ACM taking advantage from the allergen exposure that occurs during the omPT for Ni.

Methods: Thirty-seven symptomatic patients underwent to omPT for Ni.

Colonic involvement in celiac disease and possible implications of the sigmoid mucosa organ culture in its diagnosis.

Purpose: Celiac disease (CD), a systemic autoimmune disorder that typically involves duodenal mucosa, can also affect other intestinal areas. Duodenal and oral mucosa organ culture has already been demonstrated as a reliable procedure to identify CD. The present study investigated gluten-dependent immunological activation of colonic mucosa in CD patients.