Pathogenesis of Celiac Disease: An Autoimmune Disease of the Small Intestine

Abstract

Celiac disease (CD) affects millions of genetically susceptible people, but it is unclear as to what causes its onset. In hopes to find causes of CD pathogenesis, this study focused on intestinal microbiota and levels of anti-gliadin antibody IgG (AGA IgG) of genetically susceptible infants that are positive for the HLA-DQ2 and/or HLA-DQ8 genotype(s). Sellitto et al. tested the intestinal microbiota of at-risk and non-susceptible infants for levels phylum Bacteroidetes members. Additionally, two groups of at-risk infants were exposed to gluten in their diet at different times: 4-6 months and at 12 months. Within these two groups, levels of AGA IgG were measured. Evidence showed that lower levels of Bacteroidetes in the gut were associated with the infants that are genetically susceptible for CD and that infants who were exposed at a later age (12 months) showed delayed onset of CD.