Researchers have found previously unknown complexities in celiac disease — caused by an immune reaction to eating gluten, an advance that may boost future treatments.The inflammatory response to gluten was previously thought to occur inside the gut wall and only involved immune cells, but the new study led by researchers from Canada, the US, Australia, and Argentina revealed that there is more to the story.
The research shows that the upper intestine’s inner lining, known as the “epithelium,” is composed of a variety of cells that are not traditionally part of the immune system and play an active role in directing the inflammatory response to gluten, challenging the traditional understanding of the disease’s mechanism.
Utilising microscopic biomaterials, the researchers led by McMaster University in Canada developed a biologically functional model of the intestinal epithelium in the laboratory.
This innovative model enabled them to isolate and observe the specific molecular interactions within the epithelial cells of individuals with celiac disease, providing insights that are difficult to obtain from the complex environments of living organisms.
Through this model, the team observed how the epithelium alerts immune cells to the presence of gluten, confirming that the epithelium is crucial in activating the immune system in celiac disease. This discovery is expected to propel the development of new drugs targeting the epithelium’s role in the immune response, offering hope for more effective treatments.
People with celiac disease have to avoid gluten — a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, to prevent triggering painful gut symptoms, nutrient absorption issues, and long-term health risks.
Despite its prevalence in about 1 per cent of the population and its doubling rate over the past 25 years, no treatment currently exists for the autoimmune disorder.