<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
It really is time that I did a follow up to my query of Sept. re
glutaminase and zonulin. I only had four people reply and only on the
zonulin issue. I did try to contact the owner of the thyroid website
which I quote from below re glutaminase but found it more challenging
than I wanted to deal with at the time. If anyone can contact her and
set her straight it would be a public service. The original glutaminase
question I asked all of you was:
> The following info shows up in the following website.
>
> "[In cd]The body lacks a particular digestive enzyme, intestinal
> glutaminase, that can digest gluten products"
> http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aa012201a.htm
>
> Now I have not come across this info before. Any hard data to verify
> this?
-----------------------------------
The other query had to do with thinking big on the issue of zonulin. I
didn't get many philosphers to answer but here are a few replies, hopes
and articles. Thanks to all who replied. Sorry this was so tardy. I
have been battling some other GI problems for 3 years and my energy has
been low. I now have a diagnosis of mycoplasma (not the 'walking
pneumonia' type) and after just 1 week of antibiotics I feel 95% better.
(And once again western medicine did not have a thing to do with the
diagnosis.)
-----------------------------
1. Public release date: 28-Apr-2000
Contact: Tim Parsons
[log in to unmask]
410-328-9260
University of Maryland Medical Center
Researchers find increased zonulin levels among celiac disease patients
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have found
that the human protein zonulin, which regulates the permeability of the
intestine, is at increased levels during the acute phase of celiac disease.
The discovery suggests that increased levels of zonulin are a
contributing factor to the development of celiac disease and other
autoimmune disorders such as insulin dependent diabetes, multiple
sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. The findings are published in the
April 29 issue of the journal Lancet.
"Zonulin works like the traffic conductor or the gatekeeper of our
body's tissues," says lead author Alessio Fasano, M.D., professor of
pediatrics and physiology at the University of Maryland School of
Medicine, and director of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition at
the University of Maryland Hospital for Children. "Our largest gateway
is the intestine with its billions of cells. Zonulin opens the spaces
between cells allowing some substances to pass through while keeping
harmful bacteria and toxins out," explains Dr. Fasano.
Earlier research conducted by Dr. Fasano discovered that zonulin is also
involved in the regulation of the impenetrable barrier between the blood
stream and the brain, known as the blood-brain barrier. Celiac disease
offered Dr. Fasano and his team a unique model for understanding the
dynamic interaction between zonulin and the immune system. Celiac
disease is a genetic disorder that affects one out of every 300 people
in Europe, but its prevalence in the United States is not fully known.
People who suffer from the disorder are unable to eat foods that contain
the protein gluten, which is found in wheat and other grains. The gluten
sets off a reaction that can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain,
malabsorption of nutrients, and other gastrointestinal problems. Celiac
disease can be easily treated by avoiding foods with gluten.
With celiac disease, the body reacts to gluten by creating antibodies
that attack the intestine and cause severe damage over time. Unlike
other autoimmune disorders, scientists also know that celiac disease is
triggered by a specific antigen, which is the protein gluten. Celiac
disease is also known to cause increased permeability of the intestine.
In addition, many people who suffer from celiac disease also suffer from
other autoimmune disorders.
The research team examined the intestinal tissue of seven people with
celiac disease, and six patients without the disease. Patients with
active celiac disease showed higher levels of zonulin and anti-zonulin
antibodies compared to non-celiac patients and patients in remission,
who were eating a gluten-free diet.
"With celiac disease, we could never understand how a big protein like
gluten was getting through to the immune system. Now we have the
answer," explains Dr. Fasano. "People with celiac have an increased
level of zonulin, which opens the junctions between the cells. In
essence, the gateways are stuck open, allowing gluten and other
allergens to pass. Once these allergens get into the immune system, they
are attacked by the antibodies," adds Dr. Fasano.
"I believe that zonulin plays a critical role in the modulation of our
immune system. For some reason, the zonulin levels go out of whack, and
that leads to autoimmune disease," explains Fasano.
Dr. Fasano adds that more research is needed. He is currently conducting
experiments with diabetic rats. Preliminary results from his experiments
show that insulin dependent diabetes occurs in lab rats about three to
four weeks after increased intestinal permeability. The researchers
believe the increased intestinal permeability is associated with
increased levels of zonulin.
"We are at the threshold of exciting discoveries in this field," says
Dr.
Fasano. "We now have a new way of looking at our cells. Our cells are
not stacked together like bricks. They are a dynamic field, which is
constantly in flux." ###
------------------------
2. From what I can find, they aren't yet looking for ways to treat
celiacs by controlling zonulin. The recent news is more about
increasing zonulin levels temporarily so that medicines can be given
orally instead of with syringes (oh, no! not a shot!! < =O )
Some researcher might try to develop a substance to reduce zonulin
levels soon, given the potential... (I could not open the document on
zonulin that was sent with this email.)
-----------------------------------
3. I'll be interested to see what you hear back regarding glutaminase.
I've done 10 years of research on CD, and never heard that CD is a
result of a missing enzyme (that would be WAY too easy!).
The "dream" is that we can work on a compound that prevents zonulin from
binding to key receptors in the intestine.
--------------------------------------------
4. A search at www.celiac.com found a copy of articles...
http://celiac.master.com/texis/master/search/mysite.html?q=zonulin
Permeable gut also opens the door for secondary food allergies to
develop when the gut can't keep out partially/undigested food proteins
that should not be absorbed...
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Barb in Pt Angeles, WA
email address: Barb <[log in to unmask]>
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