Lower clonality observed in T cells of patients with coeliac disease: Study

USA: A new research published in the BMJ journal, compared the repertoire of T cells, in patients without diagnosed coeliac disease and those recently diagnosed with active coeliac disease as well as a third category of those with active coeliac disease on a gluten-free diet.

The scientists used next-generation gene sequencing to extract T cell receptors (beta) and (gamma) genes, from the intraepithelial cells (IEC) and lamina propria cell (LPC) as well as certain blood mononuclear samples from CD and non CD (control) affected patients.

Results of the study showed TRB and TRG repertoires of CD affected intraepithelial cells and Lamina propria cell samples demonstrated lower clonality but a higher frequency of rearranged T cell receptors compared with the non CD affected cells. No other CD-related differences were detected in the limited number of blood mononuclear samples. Enrichment of the CDR3 amino acids were seen in those with active CD on the gluten-free diet.

Conclusion

Small intestinal T receptor B and T receptor G repertoires of patients with CD are more diverse than individuals without CD, likely due to mucosal recruitment and accumulation of T cells because of chronic inflammation.