Markers of Gut Integrity and Inflammation Not Useful for Spotting Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity

Celiac.com 01/31/2022 - As intestinal permeability and innate immune system activation emerge as possible pathophysiological mechanisms in non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), a number of researchers have become interested in markers for gut integrity and inflammation. The idea being that thesis markers might help to reveal pathological changes that occur with non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

A team of researchers recently set out to assess relevant biomarkers in non-celiac gluten sensitivity by analyzing serum levels of gut integrity and permeability markers, pro-inflammatory cytokines and antigliadin IgG in patients with suspected non-celiac gluten sensitivity on a gluten-free diet, and compare them to serum levels in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and healthy controls (HC).

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The research team included Hanna Fjeldheim Dale, Julianne CH Johannessen, Ingeborg Brønstad, and Gülen Arslan Lied. They are variously affiliated with the Centre for Nutrition, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; the Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; and the National Centre of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.

Their team analyzed serum samples collected from twenty patients with suspected non-celiac gluten sensitivity patients on a gluten-free diet, twenty with IBS, and twenty healthy sex and age matched control subjects. 

The team used IBS severity scoring system (IBS-SSS) to assess gastrointestinal symptom severity. Compared to heathy control subjects, suspected non-celiac gluten sensitivity and IBS patients had higher IBS-SSS scores.

Their analysis showed no significant differences in serum levels of any of the gut integrity and permeability markers, cytokines or antigliadin IgG antibodies between the three groups. 

However, they did see positive correlations between claudin-1 and i-FABP, and between claudin-1 and antigliadin IgG antibodies.

The team's assessment showed no differences in serum levels of gut integrity and permeability markers, pro-inflammatory cytokines or antigliadin IgG antibodies among patients with suspected non-celiac gluten sensitivity patients on a gluten-free diet, IBS and healthy control subjects.

The findings suggest that these biomarkers do not offer a way to spot possible pathophysiological mechanisms in non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Stay tuned for more on this and related stories.  

Read more at DovePress.com.