Could Non-Gluten Substances Trigger Responses in Celiac Disease?

Gluten may not be the only trigger for patients with celiac disease. According to a recent study, researchers found that patients with celiac reported negative reactions to non-gluten wheat proteins.

Gluten only comprises approximately 75% of all the proteins found in wheat, leaving a litany of proteins and their antibody responses unaccounted for, according to the authors.
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“While the antigenic specificity and pathogenic relevance of immunologic reactivity to gluten in celiac disease have been extensively researched, the immune response to non-gluten proteins of wheat has not been characterized,” said the authors of the study.

“We aimed to investigate the level and molecular specificity of antibody response to wheat non-gluten proteins in celiac disease,” they said.

For the study, researchers gathered serum samples from participants with celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis (a rash linked to the disease) and compared them to samples from a healthy control group. The researchers then tested the participants’ immune reaction to various non-gluten proteins.

The study showed that participants with celiac disease had significantly higher levels of antibody reactivity to non-gluten proteins compared to the healthy control group. Investigators identified the main immunoreactive non-gluten proteins as purinins, serpins, globulins and farinins, and α-amylase/protease inhibitors.

Investigators noted that the results could increase their understanding of how celiac works and how to better treat the disease. They encourage researchers of further studies to not dismiss non-gluten proteins.

The complete study is published in the October issue of Journal of Proteome Research.

-Michelle Canales

References:

1. Huebener S, Tanaka CK, Uhde M, et al. Specific non-gluten proteins of wheat are novel target antigens in celiac disease humoral response. J Proteome Res. 2014 October [epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1021/pr500809b.

2. ACS Chemistry for Life. Could non-gluten proteins play a role in celiac disease? [press release] November 5, 2014. http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/presspacs/2014/acs-presspac-november-5-2014/could-non-gluten-proteins-play-a-role-in-celiac-disease.html. Accessed November 6, 2014.