Increased Intraepithelial Vα24 Invariant NKT Cells in the Celiac Duodenum.

ENRIQUE MONTALVILLO; FERNANDO CHIRDO

Nutrients

Nutrients Editorial Office

Lugar: Bazel; Año: 2015 p. 8960 - 8976

2072-6643

Celiac Disease (CD) is an IFNγ-mediated duodenal hypersensitivity to wheat occurring in genetically predisposed individuals. Gluten-free diet (GFD) leads to a complete remission of the symptoms. Vα24-restricted invariant NKT cells (iNKT) can produce large quantities of IFNγ so we studied their presence in the CD duodenum. Duodenal biopsies were obtained from 45 untreated-CD patients, 15 GFD-CD patients, 44 non-CD non-inflamed healthy controls (C-controls) and 15 non-CD inflamed controls (I-controls). Two populations (Spanish and Argentinian) were recruited. mRNA expression of Vα24, IFNγ and Foxp3 molecules and flow cytometry intraepithelial lymphocyte (IEL) profile were determined. CD patients (GFD-treated and untreated) had a higher Vα24 mRNA expression compared to non-CD controls in both populations. Vα24 correlated with Marsh score for severity of the mucosal lesion and also with increased IFNγ mRNA expression both in fresh biopsies and following in vitro gliadin challenge. CD patients had decreased FoxP3 expression and together with Vα24, revealed a CD-like molecular profile. Increased densities of iNKT cells were confirmed by flow cytometry in the IEL compartment of CD samples and correlated with Vα24 mRNA expression suggesting that iNKT cells may have a role in CD pathogenesis.