1. Meditinische Klinik I, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
2. ^*Department of Gastroenterology, Klinikum Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
3. ^†Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Westfälische Wilhelms-University Münster, Germany
4. ^‡Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Helsinki, Finland
5. ^§Department of Dermato-Venereology, Semmelweis University of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary

Correspondence: Prof D. Schuppan, Med. Klinik I, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Krankenhausstrae 12, 91054 Erlangen, Germany

Received 18 November 1998; Revised 23 February 1999; Accepted 25 March 1999.

Abstract

Dermatitis herpetiformis is a gluten-sensitive disease with a symmetrically distributed blistering over extensor surfaces. The association with celiac disease is further supported by the high rate of immunoglobulin A autoantibodies to endomysium in patients with dermatitis herpetiformis, which are highly specific and sensitive indicators of celiac disease. Therefore, we determined immunoglobulin A antibodies to tissue transglutaminase, the recently discovered endomysial autoantigen in celiac disease, in patients with dermatitis herpetiformis and controls. Sera of 61 patients with dermatitis herpetiformis, as characterized by granular immunoglobulin A deposits in the subepidermal basement membrane and known endomysial antibody titers (determined by indirect immunofluorescence) as well as 84 control sera of patients with dermal or intestinal diseases unrelated to dermatitis herpetiformis, were analyzed for circulating immunoglobulin A antibodies to tissue transglutaminase by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Immunoglobulin A anti-tissue transglutaminase titers in patients with dermatitis herpetiformis were significantly elevated above the controls. Furthermore, the immunoglobulin A anti-tTG titers showed a positive correlation with semiquantitative endomysial antibody data. Compared with endomysial antibodies, determination of immunoglobulin A anti-tissue transglutaminase reached a specificity and sensitivity of 97.6% and 89.1%. Patients with dermatitis herpetiformis have elevated immunoglobulin A autoantibodies to tissue transglutaminase, confirming its pathogenic relation with celiac disease and further supporting the usefulness of this novel assay for screening and therapy control.