Gluten Sensitivity: A Challenge for Many
For about one in every hundred individuals, even the smallest trace of it in food can trigger significant discomfort. The complexity of its reactions is influenced by genetic and other factors, making it difficult to fully understand how these responses develop.
Groundbreaking Research on Gut Lining Cells
An international team led by scientists from McMaster University has identified a key function of the gut lining cells. This discovery marks an important step toward potential new treatments for celiac disease, a condition rooted in autoimmune reactions to gluten.
Gluten: The Common Culprit
It has been found in wheat, barley, and rye, is a structural protein that causes severe symptoms in individuals with celiac disease. Bloating, pain, diarrhea, constipation, and sometimes reflux or vomiting are common reactions to gluten exposure.
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Challenges of a Gluten-Free Diet
Currently, the only way to manage celiac disease is to completely eliminate it from the diet. “A gluten-free diet alone is not enough,” notes gastroenterologist Elena Verdu from McMaster. Maintaining strict dietary restrictions remains a major challenge for many patients.
The Role of Genetic Factors in Celiac Disease
Around 90% of celiac patients possess genes coding for HLA-DQ2.5, while most of the remaining 10% carry HLA-DQ8. These proteins bind the peptides that resist digestion, triggering aggressive immune responses by T cells, which aggravates the condition.
The Genetic Predisposition to Autoimmune Conditions
Individuals with the genes HLA-DQ2.5 or HLA-DQ8 are at risk for autoimmune disorders like celiac disease. However, not everyone with these genes develops such conditions, as additional factors come into play.
The Role of Enzymes in its Transport
For gluten to trigger an immune reaction, its fragments must be transported across the gut wall. This process is facilitated by an enzyme that binds to its peptides, modifying them to become more recognizable to the immune system.
Intestinal Cells: More Than a Barrier
Cells in the intestinal wall play a dual role. They release the enzyme responsible for transporting gluten fragments and express the immune-related proteins associated with HLA-DQ2.5 and HLA-DQ8, emphasizing their crucial role in disease progression.
Investigating the Gut’s Inflammatory Environment
To better understand how celiac disease operates, researchers analyzed the expression of immune proteins in intestinal cells from treated and untreated celiac patients and mice with human HLA-DQ2.5 genes.
Using Organoids to Study Immune Reactions
Scientists created functional gut models, known as organoids, from mouse intestinal cells. By exposing these organoids to gluten and inflammatory triggers, they confirmed the active role of gut lining cells in presenting gluten fragments to immune cells.
Active Role of Gut Lining Cells
The study revealed that gut cells are not just passive participants but actively transport and present fragments, setting off immune responses. This finding provides key insights into the mechanism of celiac disease, paving the way for potential new treatments.
Gut Lining Cells: Active Participants in Gluten Response
Research shows that the cells lining the gut actively present gluten fragments broken down by gut bacteria. These cells also deliver enzymes directly to gluten-specific immune cells, making them integral to the immune response.
New Insights for Future Treatments
By understanding how different tissues interact with inflammatory microbes, researchers can identify new targets for treatment. These findings bring hope for millions with celiac disease, offering the possibility of enjoying gluten-rich foods without discomfort.
A Path Toward Gluten Tolerance
This groundbreaking research paves the way for innovative therapies that could one day mitigate the immune response to it. By targeting the gut’s interaction with inflammatory microbes and the fragments, scientists aim to develop treatments that address the root causes of celiac disease, allowing patients to expand their dietary choices without triggering debilitating symptoms.
Here is the wb story of this article: Scientists Finally Identified Where Gluten Reactions Begin
