Scientists Have Finally Identified Where Gluten Intolerance Begins

For roughly one in every hundred people, food containing even the smallest amounts of gluten can deliver a gutful of hurt.

While a domino effect of immunological reactions can be traced back to their genetic roots, a number of contributing factors are also involved, making it difficult to map the precise chain of events that causes an allergy to gluten to emerge.

Using transgenic mice, an international team led by scientists from McMaster University in Canada has identified a crucial role played by the very cells making up the gut's lining, describing a major stepping stone that could lead to new therapies.

Celiac disease is in essence an autoimmune disorder triggered by the presence of a group of structural proteins known as gluten in the intestines.

Eating virtually anything made with wheat, barley, or rye – meaning most baked goods, breads, and pastas – puts people with the condition at risk of bloating, pain, diarrhea, constipation, and sometimes reflux and vomiting.

Currently the only way to avoid the symptoms is to avoid the foods that trigger them.

"The only way we can treat celiac disease today is by fully eliminating gluten from the diet," says McMasters gastroenterologist Elena Verdu. "This is difficult to do, and experts agree that a gluten-free diet is insufficient."

Around 90 percent of people diagnosed with the condition carry a pair of genes that encode for a protein called HLA-DQ2.5. Of the remaining 10 percent, most have a similar protein called HLA-DQ8.

Like other kinds of 'HLA' (or human leukocyte antigen) proteins, the proteins hold pieces of fallen invaders aloft like macabre trophies on a class of immune cells, warning other defensive tissues to be on the lookout.

In the specific case of HLA-DQ2.5 and HLA-DQ8, the proteins are shaped to hold chunks of gluten peptide that are resistant to digestion, instructing murderous T cells to go on the hunt.

Unfortunately, these instructions aren't the clearest at distinguishing between a threat and similar-looking materials in our body, meaning those with the genes are at risk of a variety of autoimmune conditions.

Not everybody who expresses either HLA-DQ2.5 or HLA-DQ8 will develop an immune disorder like celiac disease, however. For that to happen, those torn-up pieces of gluten first need to be carried across the gut wall by a transporting enzyme that binds with the peptide and alters it in ways to make it even more recognizable.

Cells in the intestinal wall are responsible for releasing this transporting enzyme into the gut, so they clearly have a critical role in the early stages of the disease. They are also known to express the family of proteins to which HLA-DQ2.5 and HLA-DQ8 belong, which are typically regulated by inflammatory responses in the gut.

What hasn't been clear is how this staging ground for people with celiac disease actually functions within the pathology itself.

To focus on this important link in the chain, the research team double-checked the expression of the major immune complex in the cells lining the intestines of people with treated and untreated celiac disease, and in mice with the human genes for HLA-DQ2.5.

 

They then created functional living models of the gut, called an organoid, using the mouse intestinal cells in order to study the expression of their immune proteins up close, subjecting them to inflammatory triggers as well as predigested and intact gluten.

"This allowed us to narrow down the specific cause and effect and prove exactly whether and how the reaction takes place," says McMasters biomedical engineer Tohid Didar.

From this it became evident the cells lining the gut weren't just passive bystanders suffering collateral damage in a misguided effort to rid the body of gluten – they were key agents, presenting a mash-up of gluten fragments broken down by gut bacteria and transporting enzymes to gluten-specific immune cells first hand.

Knowing the types of tissue involved and their enhancement by the presence of inflammatory microbes gives researchers a new list of targets for future treatments, potentially allowing millions of people worldwide to enjoy a gluten-filled pastry or two without the risk of discomfort.

This research was published in Gastroenterology.

 

 

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Everything You Wanted to Know About Gluten, But Were Afraid to Ask

Confused between the world of gluten and gluten-free? We are here to answer all your questions.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein in wheat, which is also found in grains like barley, rye and some oats.

What is a Celiac Disease?

It is an autoimmune disorder that occurs in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide.

Besides gluten-free foods being a life saving alternative for those with a diagnosed celiac condition, many are also embracing the diet as a lifestyle option.

Does a Gluten-Free Diet Help in Weight Loss?

Not with the commercially available gluten-free alternatives. However as your food options get limited if you avoid wheat or gluten, you may end up eating lesser than normal and therefore, lose weight. But if you replace wheat chapattis or breads etc. by gluten-free alternatives, chances are you will gain weight due to the high percentage of refined starch in commercially available gluten-free alternatives.

Does a Gluten-Free Diet Improve Stamina and Energy?

Not exactly a direct correlation! However, if you replace wheat, breads and bakery with healthier foods like millets including ragi, amaranth, oats, quinoa, brown rice, fruits and vegetables; you will certainly feel better. But don’t be too selective, we caution: consuming only one cereal grain as a staple can also make you more sensitive to it! Consuming a variety, helps.

Is Gluten-Free Food Healthier Than the Regular Fare?

This depends on what you substitute for gluten or wheat. Commercially available gluten-free foods can be rather refined, high on starch and low on nutrients. However, if you choose whole grains like ragi, amaranth, quinoa, brown rice, vegetables, fruits, low fat dairy, nuts and seeds, you will be better nourished. Gluten-free food alternatives at home without margarines and hydrogenated fats can certainly save you from harmful TFAs (trans fatty acids).

If I Stop Eating Wheat and Feel Good, Does it Mean I Have Wheat Allergy?

Wheat allergy and celiac disease are two different conditions. Celiac disease is only confirmed when both blood tests and biopsy are positive. If they are negative and you feel better without eating wheat or gluten, you are likely to be wheat intolerant and not celiac. Individuals with confirmed celiac disease are intolerant to gluten.

Should I Stop Eating Gluten if my Body Suffers From Gluten-Intolerance?

If you feel uncomfortable, bloated or low in energy because of wheat or gluten, do not remove it from your diet as that may camouflage symptoms of a celiac disease. Continue eating gluten containing foods such as bread, pasta and cereals during the diagnosis process. If you have already removed gluten from your diet, you must re-introduce it for atleast six weeks before any diagnostic tests are performed. If you stop eating wheat or gluten, the condition may be hidden and result in a negative test. You must get an investigation for the same under the guidance of a qualified physician.

Can I Have Gluten Cheat Days if I have a Celiac Disease?

A confirmed diagnosis requires a strict gluten-free diet for life, even if there are no symptoms upon ingesting gluten. There is no room for occasional gluten intake. ‘Accidental’ consumption and contamination are, howver, separate issues.

How do I know if I Suffer from a Celiac Disease?

Bloating, diarrhea, nausea, constipation, tiredness, anaemia, mouth ulcers, headache, sudden or expected weight loss, hair loss, skin rash (dermatitis herpetiformis), short stature, osteoporosis, depression, infertility, recurrent miscarriage and joint/bone pains are all symptoms of a celiac disease.

With increasing awareness about celiac disease and gluten-free diets in India, gluten-free foods can be found easily in supermarkets, health food stores and pharmacies across the country.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Food Additive in Cheese, Bread Can Trigger Celiac Disease

A common food additive, used in sausages, cheese, bread, dairy, baked and other processed foods, could both cause and trigger celiac disease, warns a recent study.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder, where gluten triggers the immune system to attack the gut.

The study showed that celiac disease could be caused by a bacterial enzyme named microbial transglutaminase, which is heavily used in the food processing industries to ameliorate food qualities and elongate products' shelf life.

Microbial transglutaminase can glue together proteins, so it’s used to improve food texture, palatability and shelf-life.

“This enzyme functions like the transglutaminase produced by our body, which is known to be the target of autoimmunity in celiac disease,” Lerner added.

Microbial transglutaminase could in fact be the target of the immune response in celiac disease and its presence in processed foods is therefore a potential environmental cause of celiac disease, said the study, published in the journal Frontiers in Pediatrics.

To test whether this enzyme causes or triggers immune damage in celiac disease will require experimenting with exposure in animal models, intestinal cell lines or biopsies.

As there are no known cure for celiac disease, the treatment depends on adhering to a gluten-free diet.

Until there is a clearer answer, transparency and vigilance with regards to labeling of foods processed using microbial transglutaminase is recommended, Lerner suggested.

The study also suggested a plethora of environmental components that influence celiac disease, spanning infections, food, drugs, vaccination, toxins and metals, abdominal or gynecological surgery, level of hygiene, socio-economic status, lifestyle stress and processed food additives.

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
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