August 5, 2010 – Researchers have identified, for the first time, 3 components of gluten that are believed to be the cause of intolerance to this protein found in certain cereals, including wheat, barley and rye. Gluten intolerance (celiac disease) causes an abnormal immune reaction in people who have it.
The study1 was conducted in Australia with more than 200 patients with gluten intolerance. The 3 components of gluten are, among the 2,700 or so cereal peptides studied, the most capable of triggering an autoimmune reaction in T lymphocytes in affected individuals.
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Gluten: in a multitude of foods People with gluten intolerance should avoid consuming products that contain it throughout their lives. Gluten is omnipresent in a multitude of everyday foods. It gives a chewy texture to baked goods and it allows the ingredients to mix well. It is therefore often used in breads, cookies, sauces, ready meals, etc. |
The researchers also report that the T lymphocytes responsible for the immune reaction are very poorly diversified. As a result, they conclude that it would theoretically be possible to envisage desensitization therapy, which would consist in administering to patients minimal doses of the 3 peptides identified during the study. This is an immunotherapy technique which, in certain cases, makes it possible to cure people who suffer from a particular allergy by administering to them, under medical supervision, low doses of the offending allergen in order to cause the organism to tolerate it.
The authors of the study are already hard at work to test this technique in patients affected by celiac disease and they believe they will be able to publish preliminary results by next year. If the lead turns out to be interesting, it will however take a few years of clinical trials before medical authorities are able to recommend an immunotherapy protocol that is safe and effective.
According to Health Canada, 300,000 Canadians may have gluten intolerance, and many cases remain undiagnosed.
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More than 10 years before knowing the diagnosis Almost 25% of study participants with gluten intolerance consulted a doctor for 11 years before finding out about the disease they had. Some respondents (11%) waited 20 years before the diagnosis was issued, reveals the British study of 1,600 people. Diagnosis is often difficult and time consuming due to the wide variety of symptoms and the fact that they are not specific to this disease at all. The doctor should first rule out the possibility that it is a more common digestive problem (for example, irritable bowel syndrome, food intolerance, or inflammatory bowel disease). To find out more, see our gluten intolerance sheet. |
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To know more : Gluten intolerance: how and where to get tested? Celiac Disease: Research and Treatment Update . |
Pierre Lefrançois
