IMMUNOLOGY2026™ Conference Recordings For Attendees-Antigen-specific depletion of gluten-reactive T cells for the potential treatment of celiac disease

Antigen-specific depletion of gluten-reactive T cells for the potential treatment of celiac disease

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Katelyn Reed presented proof-of-concept work using “CAP T-cells” to selectively eliminate gluten-reactive T cells in celiac disease. Celiac is a CD4 T-cell–mediated autoimmune disease driven by HLA-DQ2.5 presentation of deamidated gluten peptides, and current treatment is only a strict gluten-free diet, which often fails. Her strategy uses a chimeric antigen-presenting construct displaying a gluten peptide on HLA-DQ2.5 linked to CAR-like signaling domains (CD28/CD3ζ, and in some versions 4-1BB). In co-culture experiments, CAP T-cells specifically killed gliadin-reactive target T cells while sparing non-specific controls. Null constructs lacking signaling did not kill targets, confirming antigen-specific activity. She also showed CAPs can resist target-mediated elimination and briefly downregulate/re-upregulate surface expression, likely through internalization. Overall, the work suggests a promising antigen-specific therapy for celiac disease and potentially other T-cell–driven autoimmune disorders.

Meta Tag

Date April 16, 2026 1:45 PM - 2:00 PM

Room 253

Session Therapeutic Modulation of T Cells for Autoimmune Diseases

Speaker Kaitlin Read

Track Therapeutic Approaches to Autoimmunity (THER)

Year 2026

Keywords

CAP T-cells

celiac disease

gluten-reactive T cells

HLA-DQ2.5

antigen-specific therapy

April 16, 2026 1:45 PM - 2:00 PM

253

Therapeutic Modulation of T Cells for Autoimmune Diseases

Kaitlin Read

Therapeutic Approaches to Autoimmunity (THER)

2026