The Study
Reaction of Lectin-Specific Antibody with Human Tissue: Possible Contributions to Autoimmunity
This study found that some healthy people have antibodies that stick to both plant proteins (like those in beans and wheat) and parts of their own body. It’s like finding a key that fits two different locks — but we don’t know if the plant protein made the body create the key, or if the body already had the key for other reasons.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
Some proteins in plants (lectins) can slip through the gut and make your body produce antibodies. These antibodies sometimes mistake your own tissues for plants and attack them.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 544 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — if these antibodies attack thyroid or joint tissues, they could contribute to autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s or rheumatoid arthritis.
- 212–18% of healthy people have IgM antibodies against plant lectins; wheat lectin antibodies reacted with 37 out of 62 human tissues.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of Immunology Research
Year
2020
Authors
A. Vojdani, D. Afar, E. Vojdani
Related Content
Claims (6)
People with high levels of rheumatoid factor, a marker linked to rheumatoid arthritis, tend to have higher levels of IgM antibodies that react to certain plant proteins called lectins, especially lentil lectin. This pattern suggests a statistical relationship between these immune responses and the presence of rheumatoid arthritis biomarkers.
In healthy people, between 12% and 18% have IgM antibodies that bind to plant lectins, and between 9.7% and 16% have IgG or IgA antibodies that bind to these same plant proteins, showing that immune responses to undigested plant components occur in a notable fraction of the population.
In people with rheumatoid arthritis, certain antibodies called IgM anti-lectin antibodies tend to appear alongside rheumatoid factor but not alongside anti-nuclear antibodies, suggesting they are linked specifically to rheumatoid arthritis rather than autoimmune conditions in general.
Certain antibodies produced in response to proteins in wheat may bind to human proteins found in the thyroid, muscles, and other tissues, which could potentially trigger immune responses against the body's own tissues in some individuals.
Antibodies designed to target one plant protein can sometimes bind to other similar plant proteins because they share structural features, leading to reactions beyond their intended target.
When the gut barrier is compromised, certain proteins in food called lectins that resemble thyroid proteins may trigger the immune system to produce antibodies that mistakenly target the thyroid gland.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.