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Patients with villous atrophy due to coeliac disease have an increased risk of developing small intestinal malignancies. Intestinal glutathione (GSH) and glutathione S-transferases (GST) are involved in the protection against carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate GSH content and GST enzyme activity in small intestinal mucosa of untreated coeliacs compared to controls. We evaluated GSH content and GST enzyme activity, including the levels of GST classes α α α α, µ µ µ µ, π π π π and θ θ θ θ, in small intestinal biopsies of untreated coeliacs (flat mucosa, Marsh IIIC, n = = = =12) compared to normal subjects (n = = = =23). Next, we evaluated GSH and GST's in coeliacs in remission (Marsh 0-I, n = = = =11), coeliacs with persisting villous atrophy while on a gluten-free diet (partial villous atrophy, Marsh IIIA (n = = = =5); subtotal villous atrophy, Marsh IIIB (n = = = =6)) and patients with infiltrative/crypt-hyperplastic Marsh II lesions (n = = = =4). Total GST enzyme activity and content of

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