New data suggest the involvement of rotavirus (RV) in triggering autoimmunity in coeliac disease (CD) by molecular mimicry between the human-transglutaminase protein and the dodecapeptide (260-271 aa) of the
RV protein VP7 (pVP7). To assess the role of RV in the onset of CD, we measured anti-pVP7 antibodies in the sera of children with CD and of control groups. We analysed serum samples of 118 biopsy-proven CD
patients and 46 patients with potential CD; 32 children with other gastrointestinal diseases; 107 no-CD children and 107 blood donors. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay, we measured
immunoglobulin (Ig)A–IgG antibodies against the synthetic peptides pVP7, the human transglutaminase-derived peptide (476–487 aa) which shows a homology with VP7 protein and a control peptide. The triple-layered RV
particles (TLPs) containing the VP7 protein and the double-layered RVparticles (DLPs) lacking the VP7 protein were also used as antigens in ELISA assay. Antibody reactivity to the RV-TLPs was positive in 22 of 118
(18%) CD patients and in both paediatric (17 of 107, 16%) and adult (29 of107, 27%) control groups, without showing a statistically significant difference among them (P506, P501). Biopsy-proven CD patients as
well as the adult control group demonstrated a high positive antibody reactivity against both pVP7 (34 of 118, 29% CD patients; 66 of 107, 62% adult controls) and control synthetic peptides (35 of 118, 30% CD patients;
56 of 107, 52% adult controls), suggesting a non-specific response against RV pVP7. We show that children with CD do not have higher immune reactivity to RV, thus questioning the molecular mimicry mechanism as a
triggering factor of CD.
