Work

Iodine and Gliadin Challenge on Oral Mucosa in Dermatitis Herpetiformis

Year: 2002

Type: article

Abstract: Oral lesions and mucosal inflammatory changes may appear in dermatitis herpetiformis (DH). We examined whether potassium iodine, known to initiate blisters in the DH skin, or wheat gliadin, responsible for T-cell-dependent intestinal damage, can induce visible or microscopic changes in oral mucosa. Six patients with active DH were challenged with crude gliadin and 50% potassium iodine applied in patch test chambers on buccal mucosa for 12 h. After reading, biopsies were taken from the challenged and non-challenged mucosa. No macroscopic or microscopic vesicles were seen. However, gliadin- but not iodine-challenged epithelium showed increased numbers of CD4+ lymphocytes in all 5 patients with representative specimens (p = 0.06). No marked changes were found in the numbers of CD8+ or TcR alpha/beta+ lymphocytes, and the numbers of TcR gamma/delta+ cells remained at a low level. The results show that oral mucosa is resistant to production of macroscopic or microscopic DH lesions. It is, however, capable of reacting to locally applied gliadin by a T-cell response consisting of CD4+ lymphocytes.

Source: Acta Dermato Venereologica

DOI: 10.1080/00015550252948086

Authors: P. Patinen, J. Hietanen, M. Malmström, T. Reunala, E. Savilahti

Institution: University of Helsinki

Language: English

Topic: Celiac Disease Research and Management

Subfield: Gastroenterology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,725