Identification of Isopeptides Between Human Tissue Transglutaminase and Wheat, Rye, and Barley Gluten Peptides

Sci Rep. 2020 May 4;10(1):7426. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-64143-9.

Abstract

Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic immune-mediated enteropathy of the small intestine, which is triggered by the ingestion of storage proteins (gluten) from wheat, rye, and barley in genetically predisposed individuals. Human tissue transglutaminase (TG2) plays a central role in the pathogenesis of CD, because it is responsible for specific gluten peptide deamidation and covalent crosslinking, resulting in the formation of Nε-(γ-glutamyl)-lysine isopeptide bonds. The resulting TG2-gluten peptide complexes are assumed to cause the secretion of anti-TG2 autoantibodies, but the underlying mechanisms are only partly known. To gain more insight into the structures of these complexes, the aim of our study was to identify TG2-gluten isopeptides. With the use of discovery-driven as well as targeted nanoscale liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, we detected 29 TG2-gluten isopeptides in total, involving seven selected TG2 lysine residues (K205, K265, K429, K468, K590, K600, K677). Several gluten peptides carried known B-cell epitopes and/or T-cell epitopes, either intact 9-mer core regions or partial sequences, as well as sequences bearing striking similarities to already known epitopes. These novel insights into the molecular structures of TG2-gluten peptide complexes may help clarify their physiological relevance in the initiation of CD autoimmunity and the role of anti-TG2 autoantibodies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Autoantibodies / chemistry*
  • Celiac Disease
  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / chemistry
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / chemistry*
  • Gliadin / chemistry
  • Glutens / chemistry*
  • Hordeum / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Lysine / chemistry
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Protein Glutamine gamma Glutamyltransferase 2
  • Secale / chemistry*
  • Species Specificity
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry
  • Transglutaminases / chemistry*
  • Triticum / chemistry*
  • Trypsin / chemistry

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • Peptides
  • Glutens
  • Gliadin
  • Protein Glutamine gamma Glutamyltransferase 2
  • Transglutaminases
  • Trypsin
  • GTP-Binding Proteins
  • Lysine