Molecular mimicry as a possible cause of autoimmune reactions in celiac disease? Antibodies to gliadin cross-react with epitopes on enterocytes.

Structural similarities between external antigen and self components are believed to be one of the possible causes of autoimmunity. This study describes the presence of similar structures shared by gliadin and enterocyte surface molecules recognized by antigliadin mAbs. The reactivity of mAbs to gliadin was followed by ELISA using fixed enterocytes, their brush-border membranes, or purified enterocyte antigen. The specificity of reaction was confirmed by ELISA inhibition studies and by immunohistochemical staining of rat tissue sections using biotin-avidin-peroxidase technique. Immunoprecipitation analysis of 125I-labeled intestinal epithelial cells using antigliadin mAb revealed the presence of two main cross-reactive molecules of 28 and 62 kDa. The 62-kDa and an associated 66-kDa protein were isolated by affinity chromatography. Immunoblotting analysis showed that a 28-kDa protein detected by immunoprecipitation also reacted with IgA of celiac disease patient sera.