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.

Keywords:

• Auto-antibodies
• celiac disease
• anti-sulfatide reactivity
• neurological disorders
• gluten-free diet

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Funding

Zentech and Alifax supported the study with the forniture of media, antibodies and kits.