Another Cd Research Report

[Claire]

This appeared today. Claire

Alba Therapeutics and the University of Maryland Report the Role of Zonulin and Intestinal Permeability in Celiac Disease

BALTIMORE, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Today a team of scientists at Alba

Therapeutics Corporation ("Alba") and the University of Maryland School of

Medicine reported a direct link between gluten-induced intestinal permeability

and zonulin in tissues from patients with celiac disease ("celiac disease"). The

investigators were able to successfully prevent gluten-induced intestinal

tissue leak with the administration of the zonulin antagonist FZI/0 ("AT-

1001"). AT-1001 is an orally administered peptide currently under development

for the treatment of celiac disease.

Published in the November issue of the Scandinavian Journal of

Gastroenterology, these results describe the role that 'leaky gut' plays in

celiac disease and the role that zonulin plays in establishing the leak.

"These results are another milestone towards understanding the role of zonulin

in celiac disease," says Alessio Fasano, M.D., lead author of the paper,

professor of pediatrics, medicine and physiology at the University of Maryland

School of Medicine and director of its Center for Celiac Research.

"These results reinforce our conviction that AT-1001 has great therapeutic

potential and we look forward to confirming these observations in celiac

patients soon," stated Alba CEO Dr. Blake M. Paterson.

About Zonulin

Zonulin is a signaling protein that transiently and reversibly opens the

tight junctions ("tj") between the cells of epithelial and endothelial tissues

such as the intestinal mucosa, blood brain barrier and pulmonary epithelia.

Zonulin appears to be involved in many diseases in which leakage occurs via

paracellular transport across epithelial and endothelial tight junctions (tj),

and thus may play an important potential role in the treatment of autoimmune

diseases.

About Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is a T-cell mediated auto-immune disease that occurs in

genetically susceptible individuals and is characterized by small intestinal

inflammation, injury and intolerance to gluten. According to the National

Institutes of Health, celiac disease affects approximately 3 million

Americans, although the diagnosis is rarely made. The only treatment for celiac disease

is complete elimination of gluten from the diet, which results in remission

for some patients.

About Alba

Alba Therapeutics Corporation is a privately held biopharmaceutical

company based in Baltimore, Maryland. Alba is dedicated to commercializing

disease-modifying therapeutics and drug delivery adjuvants based on the

zonulin pathway. Alba's lead molecule, AT-1001, is targeted towards the

treatment of celiac disease and other auto-immune illnesses.

Contact: Dr. Blake Paterson

Alba Therapeutics Corporation

410-522-8708

[nettiebeads]

Great article!! Thanks!!!

[hez]

I actually sent a e-mail to the company thanking them and wishing them success in their trials. I received a reply from Blake Paterson thanking me for my interest and a link to the University of Maryland. My hope is the more we understand and possibly treat/cure maybe other future celiacs will avoid the pain that so many of us have had to go thru.

Hez

[Nevadan]

Claire,

Good article! Perhaps there will be other options for dealing with gluten in the future.

From your other research do you know what the realtionships are between zonulin, intestinal permeability/leaky gut, and damaged villi/malabsorption. Has zonulin been tied to damaged villi/malabsorption?

Thanks.

George

[Claire]

Claire,

Good article!  Perhaps there will be other options for dealing with gluten in the future.

From your other research do you know what the realtionships are between zonulin, intestinal permeability/leaky gut, and damaged villi/malabsorption.  Has zonulin been tied to damaged villi/malabsorption?

Thanks.

George

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi George,

It seems like help is on the way. Hopefully not one of those things that turns out to be worse than what you are taking it for.

The research under way here is to develop an inhibitor for Zonulin - It is called AT-1001.

Yes it has been tied to intestinal permeability/leaky gut, Malabsorption is a consequence. Damaged villi is too - but I can’t find the damage process described succinctly. Lots of references to damaged villi - but they leave out the logistics.

There are many references to Zonulin - some going back several years but the more recent ones all tend to be the same story played over and over - like the daily news.

One thing that is coming out loud and clear is that this will be a treatment option for people with autoimmune diseases - not just celiac.

I am always disturbed by statements that attribute leaky gut/intestinal permeability to celiac disease ONLY - stating that if you have this condition you absolutely have celiac. Wrong. I have had the intestinal permeability condition for many years. I do not have Celiac Disease. There are many, many causes for this condition. There can be damaged villi in the absence of Celiac.

It seems that Celiac was the ideal disease to use for these trials but in the end all folks with autoimmune diseases stand to benefit. I am curious and have not yet found anything to support increased Zonulin levels in cases of other autoimmune diseases. It most certainly is implied.

The following article is one of the best for describing what these researchers are up to:

Celiac Disease: Living Gluten Free

Open Original Shared Link

Below are some Excerpts from other info - URL follows each one.

ZONULIN, A NEWLY DISCOVERED MODULATOR OF INTESTINAL PERMEABILITY, AND ITS EXPRESSION IN COELIAC DISEASE.

Fasano A, Not T, Wang W, Uzzau S, Berti I, Tommasini A, Goldblum SE.

We identified zonulin, a novel human protein analogue to the Vibrio cholerae derived Zonula occludens toxin, which induces tight junction disassembly and a subsequent increase in intestinal permeability in non-human primate intestinal epithelia. Zonulin expression was raised in intestinal tissues during the acute phase of coeliac disease, a clinical condition in which tight junctions are opened and permeability is increased.

Open Original Shared Link

"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.

Open Original Shared Link

Researchers report that a protein called zonulin appears to be responsible for maintaining the protective barrier in the small intestine, and that high levels of this protein are associated with disruptions in the barrier that allow foreign substances into the body's tissues. When the researchers purified zonulin from human tissue and tested it on intestinal tissue from monkeys, the protein increased the tissue's permeability, allowing molecules of insulin to pass through the cell barrier. Insulin is not normally absorbed when taken by mouth.

Open Original Shared Link

Immunohistochemical Analysis of ZO-1 in the Duodenal Mucosa of Patients with Untreated and Treated Celiac Disease [quite technical]

Open Original Shared Link

[Nevadan]

Claire,

Thanks so much for the list of additional zonulin references. They will keep me busy for a while. Any future info you find would also be much appreciated.

George

[Claire]

Claire,

Thanks so much for the list of additional zonulin references.  They will keep me busy for a while.  Any future info you find would also be much appreciated.

George

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Here is the latest PR material I have.

Alba, UM SCIENTISTS PUBLISH DISEASE FINDINGS

Open Original Shared Link

- UGH. The bottom line is always money.

I am putting this up also as a new topic so no one misses it. Claire

[Claire]

Will post this as a new topic also. Here is a related article:

Is AT1001 the Answer? (from Celiac Disease: Living Gluten Free)

Open Original Shared Link

[Guest BellyTimber]

- UGH. The bottom line is always money. 

Yes, that always confuses the issue.

In addition I don't think this will have any applications in relation to celiac disease or at least not for a long time.

The researchers are simply piggybacking on a phenomenon clearly observed in some celiac disease cases to research further into their substance which they think, may have relevance to a range of diseases.

They are probably on the verge of a breakthrough for diseases not thought to be related to celiac disease but the benefits will certainly not trickle down to practitioners for 50 years (if at all).

[Claire]

Yes, that always confuses the issue.

In addition I don't think this will have any applications in relation to celiac disease or at least not for a long time.

The researchers are simply piggybacking on a phenomenon clearly observed in some celiac disease cases to research further into their substance which they think, may have relevance to a range of diseases.

They are probably on the verge of a breakthrough for diseases not thought to be related to celiac disease but the benefits will certainly not trickle down to practitioners for 50 years (if at all).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your response surprises me. It will no doubt be some time to the marketplace but a lot sooner than 50 years. When research is allowed to move on a fast track as this one has been you can look for something to happen - not in a few months to be sure - but likely within 3 - 5 years. My gestimate.

As this discovery has implications for all autoimmune diseases there is no reason that celiac disease - a leading autoimmune disease - would be left out. In fact, it seems there would be no way to leave it out. Once the product - i.e. A -1001 - comes to market it is available at the discretion of the medical community. This research is highly significant for this lab in Baltimore and for the leading researcher.. A lot of people have a lot of time, effort and money at stake. I don't think they are likely to drop the ball.

Have you readpreviously posted articles on the subject> There is a new one today regarding A-1001. Claire