Reappraisal of the ‘lectin hypothesis' in the aetiopathogenesis of coeliac disease

1. The agglutinating properties of a crude gluten digest, purified gliadin fractions and established plant lectins were investigated using mammalian erythrocytes, rat enterocytes and normal and coeliac human enterocytes as the target systems.

2. Gliadin preparations failed to cause agglutination of any of the cells tested, whereas established pure plant lectins were active cell agglutinins.

3. These studies indicate that gliadin peptides do not interact with intestinal cells in a polyvalent, lectin-like manner and as such cannot be regarded as true lectins.

4. Mucosal damage in coeliac disease is unlikely therefore to be related to lectin-like activity of gliadin.