Pro-inflammatory cytokines of circulating gliadin-specific T-cells
The subsequent functional analysis of the antigen-specific T-cells after gliadin stimulation (Figure 2E, F; S. Figure 1 ) revealed highest production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IFNγ, IL‑17A and TNFα in cells from aCeD, Refr, but also from CD patients with small intestinal involvement. Remarkably, antigen-specific T-cells of first-degree relatives of CeD patients (FDR) presented with higher frequencies of gliadin-specific T-cells and an increased TNFα expression, and were thus comparable to aCeD patients. TNFα-positive CD154+ cells were most discriminative when comparing active and inactive CeD to healthy controls.