Yes, antibodies to vinculin are suggestive of autoimmunity. Anti-vinculin is characterized as an autoantigen or autoantibody. Autoantigens or autoantibodies are characteristic of most autoimmune diseases.
Vinculin is an actin-binding protein involved in cell adhesion, neuronal cell motility and contractility, and epithelial barrier formation. Antibodies to vinculin may be formed after an acute gastroenteritis infection due to pathogen production of cytolethal distending toxin B (CdtB), which binds to vinculin in the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC).
ICC cells are known as pacemaker cells for gut motility as they mediate nerve transmission and motility in the gut migrating motor complex (the "gut clock").
Antibodies to CdtB and vinculin are implicated in gastrointestinal motility disorders, and can help differentiate IBS subtypes; IBS-diarrhea predominant (IBS-D), and IBS-mixed type (IBS-M) which is characterized by diarrhea alternating with constipation.
Reduced ICC activity and reduced migrating motor complex activity are associated with the development of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
