Innate and adaptive immunity in self-reported nonceliac gluten sensitivity versus celiac disease

Background: Immune mechanisms have been implicated in nonceliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), a con- dition characterized by intestinal and/or extraintestinal symptoms caused by the ingestion of gluten in non-celiac/non-wheat allergic individuals. Aims: We investigated innate and adaptive immunity in self-reported NCGS versus celiac disease (CD). Methods: In the supernatants of ex vivo-cultured duodenal biopsies from 14 self-reported NCGS patients, 9 untreated and 10 treated CD patients, and 12 controls we detected innate cytokines – interleukin (IL)- 15, tumor necrosis factor-?, IL-1?, IL-6, IL-12p70, IL-23, IL-27, IL-32?, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), IFN-?-, adaptive cytokines – interferon (IFN)-?, IL-17A, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13-, chemokines – IL-8, CCL1, CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL5, CXCL1, CXCL10-, granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Results: Mucosal innate and adaptive cytokines, chemokines and growth factors did not differ between self-reported NCGS, treated CD and controls. On the contrary, IL-6, IL-15, IL-27, IFN-?, IFN-?, IL-17A, IL- 23, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IL-8, CCL1 and CCL4 were significantly higher in untreated CD than in self-reported NCGS, treated CD and controls, while TSLP was significantly lower in untreated CD than in self-reported NCGS, treated CD and controls. Conclusion: In our hands, patients with self-reported NCGS showed no abnormalities of the mucosal immune response.