Eisenmann Alexander, Murr Christian, Fuchs Dietmar, Ledochowski Maximilian
Department of Clinical Nutrition, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria.
Scand J Gastroenterol. 2009;44(2):168-71. doi: 10.1080/00365520802449328.
Circulating immune complexes (CICs) in blood are associated with autoimmune-diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, immune complex glomerulonephritis, rheumatoid arthritis and vasculitis. However, slightly increased serum concentrations of such CICs are sometimes also found in healthy individuals. The objective of the current study was to assess whether food antigens could play a role in the formation of CICs.
A total of 352 (265 F, 87 M), so far, healthy individuals were tested for CICs containing C1q and immunoglobulin G (IgG) as well as for gliadin IgG antibodies using the ELISA technique. Additionally, fructose and lactose malabsorption was assessed using hydrogen breath tests.
In our study, 15.3% (54/352) of the patients presented with elevated CIC concentrations (above 50 microg/ml) and 6.5% (23/352) of the study population were positive for gliadin IgG antibodies (above 20 U/ml). CIC concentration levels were significantly higher in the group with elevated gliadin IgG antibodies (CIC median: 49.0 microg/ml) compared with the group with normal levels of gliadin IgG antibodies (CIC median: 30.0 microg/ml; Mann-Whitney U-test, U=1992; p <0.001). As expected, there was no difference in CIC concentrations (Mann-Whitney U-test, U=6106; p=0.783) and gliadin IgG (Mann-Whitney U-test, U=3761; p=0.411) between patients in the fructose or lactose malabsorber groups and the subjects without malabsorption.
The results of this study indicate that certain food antigens (e.g. gluten) could play a role in the formation of CICs. An association between CICs and fructose or lactose malabsorption seems to be improbable.
血液中的循环免疫复合物（CICs）与自身免疫性疾病相关，如系统性红斑狼疮、免疫复合物性肾小球肾炎、类风湿性关节炎和血管炎。然而，在健康个体中有时也会发现此类CICs的血清浓度略有升高。本研究的目的是评估食物抗原是否可能在CICs的形成中起作用。
使用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）技术，对总共352名（265名女性，87名男性）目前健康的个体进行了含有C1q和免疫球蛋白G（IgG）的CICs以及麦醇溶蛋白IgG抗体检测。此外，使用氢呼气试验评估果糖和乳糖吸收不良情况。
在我们的研究中，15.3%（54/352）的患者CIC浓度升高（高于50微克/毫升），6.5%（23/352）的研究人群麦醇溶蛋白IgG抗体呈阳性（高于20单位/毫升）。与麦醇溶蛋白IgG抗体水平正常的组（CIC中位数：30.0微克/毫升；曼-惠特尼U检验，U = 1992；p <0.001）相比，麦醇溶蛋白IgG抗体升高的组中CIC浓度水平显著更高（CIC中位数：49.0微克/毫升）。正如预期的那样，果糖或乳糖吸收不良组患者与无吸收不良的受试者之间，CIC浓度（曼-惠特尼U检验，U = 6106；p = 0.783）和麦醇溶蛋白IgG（曼-惠特尼U检验，U = 3761；p = 0.411）没有差异。
本研究结果表明某些食物抗原（如麸质）可能在CICs的形成中起作用。CICs与果糖或乳糖吸收不良之间似乎不太可能存在关联。
