Thepresentenzyme-linkedimmunosorbentassay(ELISA)isintendedforthequantitativeorqualitativedeterminationofIgGantibodiesinhumanserum,directedagainsttissueTransglutaminase(tTG).TheimmobilisedantigenisahighlypurifiedpreparationofhumanrecombinanttTG,expressedinthebaculovirussystem.Thetestisfast(incubationtime30/30/30minutes)andflexIBLe(divisiblesolidphase,readyto-usereagents).Sixcalibratorsallowquantitativemeasurements;anegativeandapositivecontrolchecktheassayperformance.

Celiacdisease(CD;synonyme:gluten-sensitiveenteropathy)affectstheuppersmallintestineandiscausedbyahypersensitivereactiontogluten,asetofproteinspresentinmanykindsofcerealgrain,e.g.wheat,oats,barleyandrye.Itsmorphologicalmanifestation,themoreorlesscompleteatrophyofthevilliofthemucousmembrane,leadstomalabsorptionproblems,e.g.chronic
vitamindeficiency.Ithasbeenknownformanyyearsthatelevatedlevelsofgluten-specificantibodiesoccurintheseraofceliacpatients.Also,autoantibodiesdirectedagainstendomysiumofthesmoothmusclearespecificallyassociatedwiththisdisease.Tissuetransglutaminase(tTG)hasbeenidentifiedasthepredominantendomysialCDautoantigen.