Thepresentenzyme-linkedimmunosorbentassay(ELISA)isintendedforthequantitativeorqualitativedeterminationofIgAantibodiesinhumanserum,directedagainstamodifiedgliadinpeptide(MGP).Theimmobilisedantigenisahighlypurified,syntheticpeptidederivative.Thetestisfast(incubationtime30/30/30minutes)andflexIBLe(divisiblesolidphase,ready-to-usereagents).Sixcalibratorsallowquantitativemeasurements;anegativeandapositivecontrolchecktheassayperformance.Celiacdisease(synonyme:gluten-sensitiveenteropathy)affectstheuppersmallintestineandiscausedbyahypersensitivereactiontogluten,asetofproteinspresentinmanykindsofcerealgrain,e.g.wheat,oats,barleyandrye.Itsmorphologicalmanifestation,themoreorlesscompleteatrophyofthevilli,leadstomalabsorptionproblems,e.g.chronicvitamindeficiency.Ithasbeenknownformanyyearsthatelevatedlevelsofgliadin-specificantibodiesoccurintheseraofceliacpatients.Gliadinisacomponentofglutenandconstitutesapredominantantigen.Ingestedgliadinisfragmentedinthesmallintestineandtheresultingpeptidesaredeamidatedbytheenzymetissuetransglutaminase(tTG).Recently,ithasbeenshownthatcertaindeamidatedgliadinpeptidesarepowerfulimmunogensandthatantibodiesdirectedatthesepeptidesexhibitabetterdiagnosticaccuracyforceliacdisease,ascomparedtoantibodiesdirectedatcrudegliadin.