Evidence for Involvement of Gluten in Immune Rejection of Pregnancy.

An article published in the Journal of Immunology has shown a connection between gluten in the diet and "maturation" of dendritic cells. We have spoken often on this site how the maturation of dendritic cells (the messenger cells of the immune system) needed to be avoided in order to allow the embryo to turn off the immune response of the mother, and allow for successful implantation. In fact, many of the newer therapies we are using, such as Neupogen (G-CSF), have as their mechanism of action the ability to PREVENT maturation of the dendritic cells at the uterine lining. When dendritic cells are mature they take information about the embryo to the lymph node and present it in such a manner that the mother's immune system mounts a response against the embryo.

It is becoming quite clear that patients where we suspect immune involvement of pregnancy rejection, a gluten free diet seems to be imperative.