ANTIBODIES TO GLIADIN, GLUTEN AND RETICULIN GLYCOPROTEIN IN RHEUMATIC DISEASES - ELEVATED LEVELS IN SJOGRENS SYNDROME

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 57  (1) , 73-78
Abstract
An enzyme immunoassay was used to measure circulating antibodies to gluten, gliadin and to reticulin glycoprotein in 25 patients with Sjogren''s syndrome (SS), in 20 patients with rheumatoid arthritis without SS and in 19 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus without SS. Antibody levels to these 3 antigens were significantly higher in SS than in the other groups. In SS the level of antibodies to reticulin glycoprotein correlated positively with the levels of antibodies to both gliadin and to gluten but not with the level of antibodies to SS-B antigen. Patients with primary SS had higher antibody levels to reticulin glycoprotein than had patients with secondary SS, whereas no significant difference between primary and secondary SS was found in the levels of the antibodies to gliadin or to gluten. Circulating antibodies to gliadin, gluten and reticulin glycoprotein have not been previously recognized in SS. Their occurrence suggests that small bowel injury may be a common finding in SS.