Intraepithelial γ/δ-Positive T Lymphocytes and Intestinal Villous Atrophy

Abstract

We have evaluated the expression of different molecular forms of T cell antigen receptor (TcR) in duodenal biopsies of pediatric patients with different forms of villous atrophy: celiac disease, autoimmune enteropathy, intractable diarrhea of unknown origin, and severe cow milk intolerance. A panel of monoclonal antibodies recognizing α/β and γ/δ TcR (and γ/δ TcR subsets) was used for immunostaining. The results showed an increase of T cells with γ/δ-type TcR in celiac patients and also in patients with other forms of villous atrophy with respect to normal controls. Amongst the γ/δ TcR-positive cells, the subset expressing the molecular product of Vδ1 region was the most represented. The γ/δ TcR-positive T cells were mainly located within the epithelium: few of them were observed in the lamina propria. On the basis of these results, we hypothesize that the increased homing of γ/δ TcR-positive T lymphocytes in gut epithelium observed in celiac disease is, at least in part, related to villous atrophy per se.