- Reaction score
- 1,854
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 gluten intolerance to emerge.
Using transgenic mice, an international team led by scientists from McMasters 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, barely, 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."
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 gluten intolerance to emerge.
Using transgenic mice, an international team led by scientists from McMasters 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, barely, 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."
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.
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