COMMENTARY ON: ARE HEPATITIS B VIRUS AND CELIAC DISEASE LINKED?, LETTER TO EDITOR

摘要

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by small intestinal mucosal injury and nutrient malabsorption that affects patients with a specific genetic predisposition (HLADR3-DQ2 and HLA DR4-DQ8) who are exposed to gluten, the major storage protein of wheat and similar grains (1, 2). Abnormal immune response to gliadin, genetic factors, and environmental factors play a role in the pathogenesis of CD. Infectious agents have been implicated in the pathogenesis of many autoimmune disorders. Transient infections or increased permeability of the mucosa may facilitate disease onset induced by the uptake of gluten peptides into a microenvironmental milieu in the small intestinal mucosa (3)...