Celiac.com 06/11/2009 - Specialty pharmaceutical and diagnostic company, Prometheus Laboratories Inc., announced new findings regarding a correlation between an important serologic marker used in the detection of Crohn's disease and particular genetic markers in patients at risk for celiac disease.

Using proprietary Prometheus technology, researchers analyzed blood and serum samples from 5,406 patients at risk for celiac disease who are EMA positive. Results showed a significant correlation between antibodies to the flagellin CBir1 and HLA haplotypes DQ2.5 and DQ8.

They found that an overly aggressive immune response to particular bacteria in the intestine, as in Crohn's disease, may contribute to the inflammation seen in patients with celiac disease.

Relatively few susceptible individuals "actually develop the disease, despite gluten ingestion, for reasons that are not well understood," said Dr. Michelle Pietzak, a Pediatric Gastroenterologist in the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. Research like this is helping us figure out the answers to those questions.

Source: Prometheus Laboratories, Inc.

As always, Celiac.com welcomes your comments (see below).