Anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin profile in patients with celiac disease living in a high incidence area.

Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; Centre for Prevention and Diagnosis of Celiac Disease, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: Luca.elli@policlinico.mi.it. European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Department of Experimental Oncology, Milan, Italy. Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; Centre for Prevention and Diagnosis of Celiac Disease, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. Academic Unit of Gastroenterology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, United Kingdom. Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Pathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy. School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy. Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milan, Milan, Italy; ″Aldo Ravelli" Center for Neurotechnology and Brain Therapeutics, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; CRC Molecular Basis of Neuro-Psycho-Geriatrics Diseases, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; Centre for Prevention and Diagnosis of Celiac Disease, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.

Digestive and liver disease : official journal of the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver. 2022;(1):3-9

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM How symptoms and antibodies related to SARS-CoV-2 infection develop in patients with celiac disease (CD) is unclear. We aimed to investigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection in CD patients. METHODS CD patients were interviewed about the development of COVID-19 symptoms, compliance with anti-virus measures and adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD). The presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgA (anti-RBD and N proteins) was compared to that in non-CD subjects. Expression of the duodenal ACE2 receptor was investigated. When available, data on duodenal histology, anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA (tTGA), comorbidities and GFD adherence were analyzed. RESULTS Of 362 CD patients, 42 (12%) reported COVID-19 symptoms and 21% of these symptomatic patients presented anti-SARS-CoV-2 Ig. Overall, 18% of CD patients showed anti-SARS-CoV-2 Ig versus 25% of controls (p = 0.18). CD patients had significantly lower levels of anti-N IgA. tTGA, duodenal atrophy, GFD adherence or other comorbidities did not influence symptoms and/or antibodies. The ACE2 receptor was detected in the non-atrophic duodenal mucosa of patients; atrophy was associated with lower expression of the ACE2 receptor. CONCLUSION CD patients have an anti-SARS-CoV-2 Ig profile similar to non-celiac controls, except for anti-N IgA. No risk factors were identified among CD parameters and GFD adherence.