Quantification of immunoglobulins after organ culture of human duodenal mucosa.

Duodenal biopsies from 33 celiac and 16 nonceliac patients were kept in organ culture for 24 h. Quantities of immunoglobulins were measured by rocket immunoelectrophoresis in mucus removed from the biopsy surface after culture and in culture media. Increased amounts of immunoglobulins were recorded after culture of biopsies from celiac disease patients in the exacerbation state; but only in 11 of 33 celiac mucosae could an increment be detected after culture in the presence of gluten compared to culture on gluten-free medium. The amount of IgA showed a significant correlation with radioactivity of mucus and culture medium after [14C]leucine incorporation during culture. In such experiments autoradiograms of immunoprecipitates disclosed in vitro synthesis of IgA, whereas 47% of the IgG precipitates were radionegative. Amounts of IgA corresponded significantly to serum concentration of this immunoglobulin, whereas for IgM and IgG no such correlation existed. Quantification of immunoglobulins seems to be unsuitable as a method of evaluating in vitro gluten toxicity in celiac disease.