Abstract
Immunoglobulin-containing plasma cell densities in the jejunal mucosa and serum and jejunal fluid immunoglobulins have been measured in patients with adult coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis with and without jejunal mucosal abnormality. Studies were performed in patients before and after treatment of the jejunal lesion.Total immunofluorescent plasma cells were increased in untreated adult coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis patients with jejunal lesions, but in general the normal predominance of IgA > IgM > IgG was found. There was no difference from controls in IgA-containing cells in the two conditions before or after treatment. The numbers of IgM-containing cells were significantly increased both before and after treatment in groups of patients with adult coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis who had jejunal lesions. IgG-containing cells were significantly raised in only the before-treatment groups. Patients with dermatitis herpetiformis without jejunal lesions, even whilst on gluten-containing diets, had normal numbers of immunoglobulin-containing cells. IgA and IgM jejunal fluid immunoglobulins were significantly raised in dermatitis herpetiformis and adult coeliac disease.It is concluded that patients with dermatitis herpetiformis with jejunal morphological abnormality have a comparable immunological disturbance of the jejunal mucosa to that found in adult coeliac disease.