Subcellular localization of class I (A,B,C) and class II (DR and DQ) MHC antigens in jejunal epithelium of children with coeliac disease.

Thin frozen sections of 11 jejunal biopsies from 10 children at different stages of coeliac disease were stained by immunofluorescence technique using a panel of anti-HLA class I (A, B, C) and anti-HLA class II (DR and DQ) monoclonal antibodies. On the epithelium of flattened mucosa, in contrast with control sections, the intensity of the labeling on the basolateral membranes with both anti-class I and class II DR antibodies decreased strongly from the bottom to the upper part of the crypts, and no bright patchy staining was observed on the apical part of enterocytes with anti-HLA DR antibodies. Numerous cells with large granules expressing class I and class II DR antigens were found in the epithelium of the small intestine. Children with a fully recovered mucosa expressed MHC antigens identical to those previously observed in normal epithelium. On the other hand, children with intermediate mucosal lesions showed the presence of MHC antigens in varying degrees. The results of this report indicate that immunological mechanisms may play a prominent role in coeliac disease.