T‐Lymphocyte Activation by a Gluten Fraction, Glyc‐Gli

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Abstract
A gluten fraction (glyc‐gli) induced proliferation of T lymphocytes obtained from coeliac patients or healthy controls. Glyc‐gli acted as an antigen, and T‐cell activation was strongly dependent on antigen‐presenting monocytes in the cultures. The lymphocyte response was similar for HLA‐B8/DR3‐positive and HLA‐B8/DR3‐negative healthy controls, and coeliac patients in remission on a gluten‐free diet could not be distinguished from the controls by the degree of proliferative activity in this test. Conversely, untreated coeliac patients showed a significantly lower lymphocyte response to glyc‐gli than both coeliac patients in remission and controls. This result may reflect sequestration of gluten‐specific cells into the mucosal lesion or mesenteric lymph nodes in patients with active coeliac disease.