|
Great Plains Laboratory,
Inc.
© 1996-2002 All Rights Reserved
|
Getting Tested
Information About the Transglutaminase Antibodies Test
What is the Transglutaminase Antibodies Test?
In the medical disorder called celiac disease, there is
a reduced ability to digest wheat and there is often a direct toxic effect
of gluten on the lining of the intestine called the intestinal mucosa.
Symptoms may include diarrhea, failure to thrive, short stature, discolored
dental enamel, depression, premature degeneration of the nervous system,
seizures, arthritis, nutritional deficiencies due to malabsorption, and
abdominal distension
Long eyelashes, premature balding, and clubbing of the fingers
are also commonly reported in this disease. In celiac disease, there is
also an increase in the blood of antibodies to wheat. There is also a
marked increase in antibodies called endomysial antibodies. The exact
nature of the endomysial antigen has recently been identified as the tissue
transglutaminase enzyme.
Researchers in Norway think that transglutaminase facilitates
the physical linkage of the carboxamide group of an amino acid called
glutamine in gluten to an epsilon-amino group of a lysine residue in transglutaminase
in the intestinal tract. (The normal physiological function of transglutaminase
is probably the repair of injured or inflamed tissue by cross-linking
extracellular matrix proteins in the tissue, thus stabilizing the damaged
tissue and protecting the surrounding tissue from further damage.)
Since gluten has an abundance of the amino acid glutamine,
it is especially vulnerable to this reaction with transglutaminase. This
abnormally linked molecule is then perceived as a foreign antigen by the
immune system and antibodies to transglutaminase begin to be produced,
inhibiting the normal function of transglutaminase in repairing damaged
intestinal mucosa.
(See detailed listing in test profiles.)
What is the Test Recommended for?
|
Celiac disease
|
People with high gluten IgG results
|
Top
| Order
How much does the Transglutaminase Antibodies Test
Cost?
The test kit is free; please see our price
list for current processing charges including courier charges (for
US residents) and a full report, along with professional
consultation concerning test results.
Other questions about cost are answered in our Testing
FAQ and Insurance & Payment Information.
Treatment Options
If celiac disease is detected, steps can be taken for appropriate
treatment of this condition.
-
Restriction of gluten from the diet.
-
Eating additional portions of meat, vegetables, and fruits.
-
Diet supplementation, primarily with enzymes that aid in digestion
of these foods.
- Receiving proper medical supervision with better information about
the patient's condition.
Top | Order
Benefits of the Transglutaminase
Antibodies Test
-
The test is considered the most specific test for celiac disease with
near perfect specificities and sensitivities for celiac disease
- Knowledge to facilitate appropriate treatment
- Consultation about results is included with each test at The Great
Plains Laboratory
Top
| Order
|
