Antibodies to reticulin

Antibodies to reticulin, initially identified by a study of the serum components binding to rodent tissue preparations, are classified according to binding type. Highly pathognomonic for celiac RI, the antireticulin antibody type is characterized by binding to peritubular, periglomerular, and perivascular fibers of renal slices. In genetically predisposed people, gluten ingestion (gluten protein from bread grains) can cause the development of immune-mediated inflammatory bowel disease (celiac disease) or gluten-sensitive enteropathy.

Celiac disease is characterized by the appearance of autoimmune antibodies to extracellular matrix structures, including endomysium (connective tissue surrounding smooth muscle elements of intestinal crypts) and reticulin, as well as antibodies to gliadin (gluten fraction). An important factor in the development of this autoimmune response is tissue transglutaminase (an enzyme involved in gluten metabolism).

Serological analysis (detection of antibodies to endomysium, gliadin, reticulin in the serum) is useful as a preliminary screening examination for clinical suspicion of celiac disease and the decision to refer for biopsy with histological examination, which is a crucial diagnostic analysis. A combination of analyses increases the specificity and sensitivity of the serological analysis (the analysis for antibodies to gliadin is more sensitive, the analyses for antibodies to endomysium and reticulin are more specific). Testing for children under 2 years of age is less informative, since antibodies characteristic of celiac disease may not yet have developed in them.