Elevated whole blood assay IL-2 levels predict gluten-induced severe symptoms, such as vomiting
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, June 23, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Gluten-stimulated interleukin-2 (IL-2) secretion is useful for diagnosis of celiac disease (CeD), according to a study published online June 9 in Gastroenterology.
Olivia G. Moscatelli, from The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Parkville, Australia, and colleagues examined the potential of a simple whole blood assay measuring IL-2 release (WBAIL-2) for detecting gluten-specific T cells in order to improve diagnosis of CeD. WBAIL-2 was assessed in 181 adults: 88 with CeD and 93 controls. In vitro IL-2 release was measured in whole blood after gluten peptide stimulation.
The researchers found that the WBAIL-2 assay demonstrated high accuracy for CeD diagnosis, even among those following a strict gluten-free diet. Optimized dual cut-offs showed high sensitivity and specificity in patients with CeD who were HLA-DQ2.5+ (90 and 95 percent, respectively), with lower sensitivity in patients with CeD who were HLA-DQ8+ (56 percent). There was a strong correlation for WBAIL-2 with the frequency of tetramer+ gluten-specific CD4+ T cells and serum IL-2 after gluten challenge. Gluten-induced severe symptoms, such as vomiting, were predicted by elevated WBAIL-2 levels.
“This represents a promising new tool to support diagnosis, especially for people who can’t be diagnosed with the currently available methods,” Moscatelli said in a statement. “We also found the strength of the IL-2 signal correlated with the severity of a patient’s symptoms, allowing us to predict how severely a person with celiac disease might react to gluten, without them actually having to eat it.”
Several authors disclosed ties to biopharmaceutical companies, including Novoviah Pharmaceuticals who provided the proprietary tubes and peptides for this study.
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