Gliadin is a protein found in wheat and other grains that triggers symptoms of celiac disease and wheat allergies. Antibodies against gliadin can be used to test for these disorders. A highly specific gliadin antibody can also detect the presence of gluten in foods, helping to provide gluten-free products to those with celiac disease or gluten allergies. Recent studies show that more people suffer from gliadin sensitivity than originally thought.
Gliadin is a protein found in wheat and other grains that is responsible for triggering symptoms of celiac disease and wheat allergies in sensitive people. The antibodies the body makes against it provide a method of testing for these disorders. This protein is the reason many people follow a gluten-free diet.
Gluten is a combination of seed proteins in the grain that allows bread to rise properly. There are two proteins that make up gluten and one of them is gliadin. Unfortunately, many people have a genetic predisposition to be sensitive to this protein. In its most severe form, it manifests as celiac disease, a disease of the small intestine in which food isn’t absorbed properly. There are many other symptoms associated with this disease, including neurological disorders, but it can be reversed once gluten is removed from the diet.
In people with celiac disease, the body makes antibodies against gliadin that can be detected in a test for the presence of the disorder. There are different types of gliadins, and the body makes different types of antibodies depending on the type of protein present. Together, these are referred to as anti-gliadin antibodies (AGA). An entirely different antibody is produced in response to each of the different forms of the protein, which is just one of a group that can cause people to develop wheat allergies.
The specificity of AGA antibodies is approximately 85%. In an effort to produce more specific antibodies, researchers have experimented with using purified gliadin, or its degradation fragments, as a target for antibody production. The degradation products of proteins are called peptides, and a gliadin peptide, consisting of the part of the protein that is highly effective at inducing antibodies, has been chemically synthesized. Such synthetic peptides can be much more effective at inducing antibody production than using the whole protein.
Recent studies with these antibodies show that more people suffer from gliadin sensitivity than originally thought. Despite not having celiac disease, 10-15% of Americans suffer from a variety of symptoms. A positive reaction to these antibodies indicates that they should consider changing their diet and perhaps try to cut out all gluten.
In addition to diagnosing the disease in humans, a highly specific gliadin antibody can be used to detect the presence of gluten in foods. This is very significant, since wheat gluten tends to contaminate many food products that would not be expected to contain any form of wheat. New procedures can detect grain at values as low as one part per million (ppm). This test can help provide gluten-free products to people with celiac disease or gluten allergies.
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