| abstract |
The present invention provides an isolated or recombinant HLA-DQ restricted T-cell receptor or functional equivalent and/or fragment thereof capable of recognizing a prolamine-derived peptide. The present invention also provides isolated, recombinant or synthetic prolamine-derived peptides involved in food-related immune enteropathy. In yet another embodiment the invention provides a diagnostic kit comprising an isolated or recombinant HLA-DQ restricted T-cell receptor according to the invention or host cell comprising a T-cell receptor according to the invention or an antibody according to the invention and a suitable means of detection. Such a diagnostic kit is, for example, very useful for detecting in food, food components or samples from (suspected) patients the presence of prolamine-derived peptide involved in food-related immune enteropathy (for example: celiac sprue, tropical sprue, giardiasis or food allergies of childhood). |