Journal of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases & Disorders

Possible Mechanism of Symptomatic Improvement with IgG Antibodyguided Exclusion Diet in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Abstract

Hulya Uzunismail

Recently, symptomatic improvements with food exclusion diet based on immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies have been reported in both inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). But the mechanisms of these results have not been explained yet. The common point of these disorders is the important role of mast cells in their pathogenesis. Mast cells are widely present in intestinal mucosa and they are responsible for both intestinal health and disorder status. IgG-antigen immune complexes can stimulate mast cells by binding to their activating Fcγ receptors. Increased IgG-food antigen complexes due to increased food specific IgG antibodies can cause more mast cell activation. Elimination of these foods may help symptomatic improvement in patients with IBD and IBS by reducing the amount of immune complexes because of lack of the food antigen part of them.