Rod-Shaped Bacteria May Trigger Celiac Disease

Celiac.com 06/08/2004 – To determine what triggers celiac disease, researchers recently used an electron microscope to look at the jejunal biopsies of several groups of children: A group with untreated celiac disease, one with treated celiac disease, another with challenged celiac disease, and a healthy control group. The researchers discovered rod-shaped bacteria attached to the small intestinal epithelium in both the treated and untreated celiac-disease groups, but not in the healthy control group.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A12):
The researchers conclude: "Unique carbohydrate structures of the glycocalyx/mucous layer are likely discriminating features of celiac disease patients. These glycosylation differences could facilitate bacterial adhesion. Ectopic production of MUC2, HD-5, and lysozyme in active celiac disease is compatible with goblet and Paneth cell metaplasia induced by high interferon-gamma production by intraepithelial lymphocytes."

The idea that bacteria may be involved in the pathogenesis of celiac disease is a hypothesis that was also proposed by Roy S. Jamron Open Original Shared Link that originally appeared in the Spring 2004 edition of Celiac.coms Open Original Shared Link, which is further supported by this research.