T-CELL RECEPTOR GENE-EXPRESSION AND GENOTYPES IN CELIAC-DISEASE

Celiac disease (CD) occurs as a result of an abnormal immune response, within the mucosa of the small bowel, to dietary gliadin peptides. To further characterize the intramucosal lymphocytes in patients with untreated CD, we compared T cell receptor (TCR) variable region gene expression in small bowel biopsies from patients with CD to that of normal small bowel. We also assessed TCR genotypes, using restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) spanning the V-beta gene locus, comparing 59 CD patients to 64 normals. The abnormal immune response in CD is polyclonal, without evidence of restriction or significantly increased expression of any TCR variable region gene families, compared to normal small bowel. No significant association was found between TCR genotypes, as defined by TCR V-beta RFLPs, and CD.