An Analysis of Cereals That React with Serum Antibodies in Patients with Coeliac Disease

Sera from six children with active coeliac disease, and elevated titres against gliadins and from six age-matched controls, were examined for IgG antibodies against different cereal proteins by a solid-phase radioimmunoassay. Antibodies to the major wheat proteins and the prolamines of other cereals were present in low titre in all control sera. In coeliac sera, significantly higher titres were found against A-gliadin, as well as against hexaploid and tetraploid wheat whole gliadins. Gliadin peptic-tryptic digest retained a significant antigenic activity, completely lost by peptic-tryptic-pancreatic digest. High titres were also found when coeliac sera were tested against wheat glutenins, albumins, and globulins, as well as against barley, oats, and maize prolamines; rice prolamines gave lower titres. Serum from whole gliadins and A-gliadin immunized rabbits showed a similar spectrum of reactivity against prolamines as coeliac sera. Our results indicate a dissociation between immunogenic properties of cereal proteins and toxicity in coeliac disease.