STIMULATION OF LYMPHOCYTES FROM PATIENTS WITH CŒLIAC DISEASE BY A SUBFRACTION OF GLUTEN

Peripheral-blood lymphocytes from patients with cœliac disease showed a marked increase in D.N.A. synthesis after incubation in vitro with a subfraction of gluten. Lymphocytes from control patients showed no increased D.N.A. synthesis under the same conditions. The possible use of this specific lymphocyte-stimulation assay as a screening test for cœliac disease is discussed.