| Summary: | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Coeliac disease is a chronic intestinal inflammatory disorder due to an aberrant immune response to dietary gluten proteins in genetically predisposed individuals. Mucosal immune response through IgA secretion constitutes a first line of defence responsible for neutralizing noxious antigens and pathogens. The aim of this study was the characterization of the relationships between immunoglobulin-coated bacteria and bacterial composition of faeces of coeliac disease (CD) patients, untreated and treated with a gluten-free diet (GFD) and healthy controls.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>IgA-coated faecal bacterial levels were significantly lower in both untreated and treated CD patients than in healthy controls. IgG and IgM-coated bacterial levels were also significantly lower in treated CD patients than in untreated CD patients and controls. Gram-positive to Gram-negative bacteria ratio was significantly reduced in both CD patients compared to controls. <it>Bifidobacterium</it>, <it>Clostridium histolyticum</it>, <it>C. lituseburense </it>and <it>Faecalibacterium prausnitzii </it>group proportions were less abundant (<it>P </it>< 0.050) in untreated CD patients than in healthy controls. <it>Bacteroides-Prevotella </it>group proportions were more abundant (<it>P </it>< 0.050) in untreated CD patients than in controls. Levels of IgA coating the <it>Bacteroides-Prevotella </it>group were significantly reduced (<it>P </it>< 0.050) in both CD patients in comparison with healthy controls.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In CD patients, reduced IgA-coated bacteria is associated with intestinal dysbiosis, which altogether provide new insights into the possible relationships between the gut microbiota and the host defences in this disorder.</p>
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