tissue transglutimase IgA Ab

draperygoddess · Post by **draperygoddess** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 6:20 pm

What is this testing, exactly? I have been looking over (and over, and over) my blood test results, and I noticed that my total IgA was 179.80, which is well into the normal range, but the Tissue Transglutimase Iga Ab was 1. The normal range says it's 0-15.

Before I spring for the Enterolab tests (I have begged my husband to give me the tests for Christmas and my birthday combined, if I can just get them done and KNOW what I'm dealing with), I want to make sure I'm not going to get a false negative test result, because that won't help me at all (in fact, will probably convince everybody that there's really nothing wrong with me!). If that's the case, I'll just do the genetic testing.

O Wise Potty People, advise!

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 6:42 pm

Cynthia,

An elevated level of antibodies indicates an autoimmune reaction to the enzyme tissue transglutaminase, which is something that we humans naturally produce. Here's the interpretation wording from Enterolab:

*/Interpretation of Fecal Anti-tissue Transglutaminase IgA: /*The level of intestinal anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA antibody was elevated, indicative of an autoimmune reaction to the human enzyme tissue transglutaminase. This is almost always due to clinically significant gluten sensitivity. In rare cases, anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody appears in the absence of clinically significant gluten sensitivity, either as a marker of latent gluten sensitivity, as a consequence of an autoimmune reaction to a different stimulus (either dietary or otherwise), or possibly from liver disease. Tissue transglutaminase is an intracellular enzyme present in virtually all human tissues and organs, and is secreted extracellularly in response to tissue damage (such as occurs with trauma, surgery, pregnancy, infections, or inflammation-induced tissue damage). It is this extracellular release that allows the enzyme to become antigenic, especially when underlying gluten sensitivity is present. The fact that dietary gluten sensitivity so often induces a subsequent and secondary autoimmune reaction to this important human enzyme explains why autoimmune reactions and diseases so often accompany clinically significant gluten sensitivity.

I did have an elevated value in my stool test, but did not have a high fecal fat score. Other members have had the reverse (and some of had neither or both elevated). I think this means "yikes, severe gluten sensitivity," more or less.

It might be interesting to know whether your stool level is elevated or not, though your blood level is low/normal. Or you could choose to save some money on that test, because you're really wanting to know about the foods instead? I don't think it's a show-stopper or suggests the Enterolab tests for foods have a likelihood of coming up false positive, since your total IgA was normal.

I don't know whether there's a connection between the genetics and that particular test. (I wondered whether my level was elevated partly because I have double DQ2 genes, but that was just a guess.)

Post by **tex** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 6:53 pm

Cynthia,

Transglutaminase is an enzyme present in human tissue, and tissue transglutaminase has been identified as the endomysial autoantigen to celiac disease. IOW, untreated celiacs produce antibodies to tissue transglutaminase, meaning that gluten causes an autoimmune reaction to human tissue transglutaminase.

Your negative tissue transglutaminase test result shows that you were not experiencing an autoimmune reaction to gluten, at the time of that test, (depending on the sensitivity of the blood test). As Sara pointed out, Enterolab offers an anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA stool test for $99, which might be more sensitive, but I'm just guessing about it being more sensitive, based on the sensitivity of the other tests that they offer.

Tex

draperygoddess · Post by **draperygoddess** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 7:28 am

Thanks, Sara and Tex. I get confused with all these terms! So ttG is not the same as gluten antibodies, which would still show up on Enterolab's tests if I have them. Got it!

Post by **tex** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 11:52 am

Right - it's two different phenomena. The Enterolab test for anti-gliadin antibodies is a separate test, and a positive result would show that your immune system is aggressively treating gluten as a foreign invader. A positive result on an anti-TTG test shows that an autoimmune reaction is in progress, (IOW, the immune system is actually attacking the body), and we know through research, that this particular autoimmune reaction is associated with gluten-sensitivity.

Tex

Beth · Post by **Beth** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 4:00 pm

Thank you for asking about this, Cynthia. I had the same question! Do you know which tests you're planning to do? I think I'm going to do panel C for the antigenic foods, but I'm still trying to understand whether it's going to be helpful or not. I don't think I'm going to do any of the gluten testing because I already know from trial and error that it's a huge problem. I think by the time we've figured this all out we should be awarded medical degrees!

draperygoddess · Post by **draperygoddess** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 7:59 am

I think by the time we've figured this all out we should be awarded medical degrees!

Hey, maybe one of us should actually go to med school, and then there would be ONE GI in the world who knows how to treat MC!

Elizabeth--I am thinking of doing the "Big 4" test plus the gene test. Unlike you, I don't think I'm dealing with a slew of suspicious characters, and the ones I am suspicious of (certain oils and food dyes) aren't on the antigenic food test. I know I am sensitive to gluten, more sensitive to dairy, but I have many family members with a range of symptoms, and I don't think they will believe anything less than a positive test result. (Besides, after learning of Sara's experience with her test results--she was sensitive to more than she thought--I think I'd better make sure, since she and I seem to have so much in common!) I have three children, one of whom is on the same SSRI that I believe caused my original problems, and the other two have had GI issues for years, so the genetic test is essential for me, IMO.

I have read some of your other posts about the difficulties you have had getting your symptoms under control, and if I were in that situation, I think I'd want the full battery as well. AND, with a baby possibly looming in your future, forewarned is forearmed!

(If you have one, like I did, who practically comes into the world with explosive BM's, a gurgly tummy, and 24/7 screaming fits, at least you'll have an idea why!)

Beth · Post by **Beth** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 11:08 am

Hi Cynthia - if there's any advice I would give to new members here it would be to take out gluten and dairy immediately. Soy probably, too. I "mostly" took out gluten and dairy for several years before I realized that ingestion of ANY gluten was going to make me terribly ill. I paid for that the hard way because then I got really sick, and it turned out that I developed even more food sensitivities. I wonder if I could have avoided that by being much more strict from the very beginning. Live and learn, I guess!