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As I understand it, with celiac disease there is a circulating antibody to
wheat gliadin found in the blood of celiac patients -not- on a gluten free
diet. Hence the success of blood tests for CD. To me an antibody would
imply some kind of an "allergy".  Certainly, the immune systems of those
newly on a gluten free diet are "hyperactive".  All kinds of sensitivities
seem to show up - for some chemicals, for others fructose and of course
lactose.
 
I think we should talk about CD as an auto-immune disease.  My
understanding is that some of the early events on ingestion of gluten are
a change in the cells that make the villa mature.  Some have hypothesized
that these processes are T cell (immune system) mediated, but the nature of
the entire process is not well characterized.
 
For me, I am seem to get "allergy" colds or colds that start with grainy
eyes and other allergy type symptoms.  These are followed often by
sinusitis, but less so as I stay on the diet.  Actually, I was 'wheat free'
for 5 years (undiagnosed) but with these allergy colds and 5 mo ago I
started to stay gluten free.
 
I am by no means an expert in celiac disease.  Only a biochemist who has it
and is trying to understand the events that happen in this process.
 
                           Martha Teeter