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    Jefferson Adams
    Jefferson Adams

    Study Shows Celiac, Crohn's Disease Share Genetic Links

    Reviewed and edited by a celiac disease expert.
    Study Shows Celiac, Crohn's Disease Share Genetic Links - New link between celiac & Crohn's disease. Photo--DNA strand: CC- Mark Cummings
    Caption: New link between celiac & Crohn's disease. Photo--DNA strand: CC- Mark Cummings

    Celiac.com 02/18/2011 - In their search for a deeper understanding of the connections between celiac disease and Crohn’s disease, scientists have begun to focus on genetic variants that trigger inflammation in the gut.

    A research team examining associations between celiac disease and Crohn’s disease has now confirmed four common genetic variations between the two diseases.

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    Their discovery may help to explain why people with celiac disease suffer Crohn’s disease at higher rates than the general population.

    Better understanding the genetic connections will likely pave the way for new treatments for symptoms common to both conditions, such as inflammation.

    The study used a new method of analysis called a genome-wide association study, or GWAS. This allows researchers to look at hundreds of thousands of genetic variations, called single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs, that may be involved in any one disease.

    The research team compared 471,504 SNPs, representing the genomes of about 10,000 people, some of whom had Crohn’s disease, some of whom had celiac disease, and others who were healthy.

    They found four genes that seemed to raise the risk for both diseases. Two of these genes, IL18RAP and PTPN2, had already been associated with each disease.

    Another, called TAGAP, had previously been identified as a risk factor in celiac disease, but was newly associated with Crohn’s disease.

    The fourth gene, PUS10, had been previously been tied to Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, and ulcerative colitis.

    Three of the four genes seem to influence immune system response to perceived threats.

    “The first three we can say are involved in T-lymphocyte function,” Rioux says. “They seem to have a role to play in how these cells respond to a given stimulus.”

    In celiac disease, gluten-induced intestinal inflammation causes damage that prevents the intestine from absorbing nutrients in food. This can cause a wide range of problems, from anemia to osteoporosis to lactose intolerance.

    In Crohn’s disease, inflammation of the digestive tract often causes the bowel to empty frequently, resulting in diarrhea, among other problems.

    Some research shows that people with one condition are more likely to have the other. One study, for example, found that more than 18.5% of people with Crohn’s disease also have celiac disease.

    The study has “completely changed the way we can identify genetic risk factors,” says study co-author John D. Rioux, PhD, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada.

    “There are sequence differences at the genetic level that get translated down to the protein levels,” Rioux notes. “And these differences may really nudge a person toward inflammation."

    He adds that "we’re just in the beginning, but we hope they may elucidate a common pathway and one day help us discover treatments that correct the underlying genetic changes.”

    Source:

    • Jan. 27 issue of Open Original Shared Link


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    Guest CeliBelli

    Posted

    Clearly written, informative and useful for the lay reader. Thank you.

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    Guest Clarkie

    Posted

    This is really interesting and I suspect it's just the beginning in understanding how various genetic predispositions interact. For instance, I have two copies of one of the gene variations for gluten sensitivity as well as two copies of a gene variation for poor methylation. Did each of my parents really just happen to have these two unrelated gene variations, or are they related in a way we don't yet understand? I bet it will turn out to be the latter.

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    Guest Shar

    18.5% is a very strong relationship.

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    Guest Julie

    Posted

    Thank you

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    Guest Virginia

    Posted

    My mother has celiac. I have tested negative for celiac but I have all the symptoms of Crohn's. I was wondering if there may be a genetic connection between the two. Thank you for your research.

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    Guest Whitney

    Posted

    I heard this from my brother's GI doctor. We're twins; he has Crohn's and I have celiac disease, and he found this very interesting, and I was a little surprised that they were connected. I'm glad I found this article; it gave me a little more insight to it.

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    Guest Cynthia

    Posted

    Both my niece and myself has been diagnosed with Crohn's disease and now my doctor on Friday sent 3 different biopsies to the pathologist. Strangely, my niece and myself have had to get an endoscopy and colonoscopy.

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    Guest Annie

    Posted

    My mother has celiac. I have tested negative for celiac but I have all the symptoms of Crohn's. I was wondering if there may be a genetic connection between the two. Thank you for your research.

    Virginia, if you have all the symptoms, then you 99% chance have it. This happened to me when 4 years before I was diagnosed. The doctors told me that I didn't have it even though I did. And then, again, they told me I didn't have celiac disease last year even though I do. One thing I've learned from all this is not to trust your doctor and to do your own research. Because this article has made me wonder why they don't read the available studies. There is already a lot of research that says undiagnosed celiac disease can cause Crohn's disease. Undiagnosed lactose intolerance can also cause IBD.

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    Guest Christy Petty

    Posted

    I think Crohn's IS celiac. There is not anything perfected on the finding of celiac, other than no wheat in diet and get better. All of the celiac tests are iffy. What symptom of Crohn's is not a symptom of celiac disease? MDs would rather diagnose Crohn's with meds and continual follow up visits, instead of telling you to stop wheat and move on with living, without them.

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    Guest Heather

    Posted

    I totally agree Christy.

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    Guest Brittani

    Posted

    I think Crohn's IS celiac. There is not anything perfected on the finding of celiac, other than no wheat in diet and get better. All of the celiac tests are iffy. What symptom of Crohn's is not a symptom of celiac disease? MDs would rather diagnose Crohn's with meds and continual follow up visits, instead of telling you to stop wheat and move on with living, without them.

    Not sure what doctor has ever told someone with celiac that they can just stop eating wheat and move on with their lives. Both my children have been diagnosed with celiac and have to have blood work and biopsy done yearly. Celiac has to do with a lot more than wheat. My daughter is now going through testing for Crohn's (just so you know these are very different test than what we went through for celiac). I think you should do a little more research before you claim that celiac and Crohn's are the same thing.

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  • About Me

    Jefferson Adams

    Jefferson Adams is Celiac.com's senior writer and Digital Content Director. He earned his B.A. and M.F.A. at Arizona State University. His articles, essays, poems, stories and book reviews have appeared in numerous magazines, journals, and websites, including North American Project, Antioch Review, Caliban, Mississippi Review, Slate, and more. He is the author of more than 2,500 articles on celiac disease. His university coursework includes studies in science, scientific methodology, biology, anatomy, physiology, medicine, logic, and advanced research. He previously devised health and medical content for Colgate, Dove, Pfizer, Sharecare, Walgreens, and more. Jefferson has spoken about celiac disease to the media, including an appearance on the KQED radio show Forum, and is the editor of numerous books, including "Cereal Killers" by Scott Adams and Ron Hoggan, Ed.D.

    >VIEW ALL ARTICLES BY JEFFERSON ADAMS

     


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