Celiac disease triggers may include non-gluten proteins

Date: Nov-06-2014 Gluten - a protein found in wheat and other cereals - may not be

the only trigger for celiac disease, according to a new study that found

patients with the disease also showed reactions to non-gluten wheat

proteins.

Researchers found that for patients with celiac disease, some non-gluten wheat proteins triggered the condition.

Writing in the Journal of Proteome Research, Armin Alaedini,

assistant professor in the department of medicine at Columbia University in

New York, NY, and colleagues suggest their findings could improve

understanding of celiac disease and lead to better treatments.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease where a trigger causes the

immune system to attack the body's own tissue - specifically, part of the gut. A known trigger is gluten - a protein found in

cereals like wheat, rye and barley.

Prof. Alaedini and colleagues note that the gluten group accounts for

around 75% of all the proteins found in wheat.

At present, the only

recommended treatment for people with celiac disease is to avoid foods

containing gluten. But the authors say few studies have looked at the effect of non-gluten

proteins, and where they have, the results have been mixed. As such, they decided to investigate further.

Using serum samples from patients with celiac disease and dermatitis

herpetiformis (a rash associated with the disease), alongside samples from healthy controls,

the team tested their immune reaction to a number of non-gluten proteins

and found:

"Compared with healthy controls, patients exhibited significantly higher

levels of antibody reactivity to non-gluten proteins. The main

immunoreactive non-gluten antibody target proteins were identified as

serpins, purinins, α-amylase/protease inhibitors, globulins and

farinins."

The authors recommend that when researchers explore potential clinical

treatments for celiac disease, they do not overlook non-gluten

proteins.

Celiac disease damages the gut's ability to absorb nutrients

In celiac disease, the immune attack damages the villi - small finger-like fleshy projections that line the small intestine and aid food

digestion. Damaged villi means the body cannot absorb all the nutrients it

needs. When people with celiac disease consume gluten, they develop

diarrhea, abdominal pain, anemia and nutritional deficiencies.

Undiagnosed, celiac disease can lead to other autoimmune diseases and

long-term health problems. These include multiple sclerosis, type 1

diabetes, dermatitis herpetiformis, anemia, osteoporosis, infertility,

miscarriage, neurological conditions and intestinal cancers.

Celiac disease affects around 1 in 100 people worldwide. The condition

is hereditary, so anyone with a first-degree relative with

celiac disease (parent, child or sibling) has a 1 in 10 risk of developing

it.

According to The Celiac Disease Foundation, an estimated

2.5 million Americans have celiac disease and do not know it.

In April 2014, Medical News Today reported a study

published in JAMA Pediatrics that suggests

celiac disease is more common in children

with irritable bowel syndrome.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD

Not to be reproduced without permission.

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Courtesy: Medical News Today Note: Any medical information available in this news section is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional.