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Could it be possible to inoculate an individual to prevent the onset of
celiac disease?  A study in mice has shown expression of a known gastric
autoantigen in the thymus results in tolerance to the antigen and a
resistance to the onset of autoimmune gastritis.  The thymus, as I have
previously discussed in earlier posts, is where immature lymphocytes (stem
cells from bone marrow) develop into mature T cells after a selection
and "education" process that eliminates the vast majority of immature T
cells having the potential to cause autoimmune reactions.  Could gluten
peptides or epitopes of gliadin be directly introduced into the thymus
prior to the onset of celiac disease to induce a T cell tolerance to gluten
and prevent celiac disease?  Children, in whom the thymus gland is large
and actively engaged in building a T cell repertoire, would probably be
more likely to respond favorably to such an inoculation.

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Int Rev Immunol. 2005 Jan-Apr;24(1-2):135-55.

Reversing the autoimmune condition: experience with experimental autoimmune
gastritis.

Alderuccio F, Murphy K, Biondo M, Field J, Toh BH.

Department of Pathology and Immunology, Monash University Central and
Eastern Clinical School, Prahran, Victoria, Australia.

Autoimmune diseases remain a significant health problem in our society,
despite the best efforts to understand and treat these conditions. Current
clinical treatments are aimed at alleviating the consequences of these
diseases, with limited prospects for cure. Our studies with the
experimental model of autoimmune gastritis have led us to explore potential
curative strategies that can reverse the autoimmune condition. Using mouse
models, we have shown that expression of the known gastric autoantigen in
the thymus results in immunological tolerance and resistance to the
induction of autoimmune gastritis. Also, induced tolerance in donor mice
can be transferred to syngeneic recipient mice by bone marrow cells.
Strategies based on these observations could lead to reversal of
established disease. Transfer of ensuing knowledge to the cure of serious
human autoimmune diseases is our ultimate goal.

PMID: 15763994 [PubMed - in process]

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