Deficiency of invariant natural killer T cells in coeliac disease

Background: Immunoregulatory invariant natural killer (iNK) T cells rapidly produce interleukin (IL)-4 and other cytokines that suppress a Th1 response and are deficient in some autoimmune diseases. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate any deficiency of iNK T cells in coeliac disease. Methods: Blood was collected from 86 subjects with coeliac disease and from 152 healthy control subjects for investigation of Vα24+ T cells by flow cytometry. iNK T cells were assessed by Vα24 and α-galactosylceramide/CD1d tetramer markers in 23 normal controls and 13 subjects with coeliac disease. Intracellular IL-4 was measured after anti-CD3 antibody stimulation. Duodenal biopsies were obtained in a subgroup of subjects with coeliac disease and control subjects for Vα24 mRNA expression using relative PCR and for Vα24+ T cells by immunofluorescence. Results: The mean numbers of circulating Vα24+ T cells and iNK T cells in coeliac disease were 27% (p