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Celiac.com 06/14/2023 - Researchers from Lanzhou University in China, in collaboration with international scientists, say they have developed a promising new method for treating celiac disease. Led by Aman Khan, a Pakistani postdoctoral fellow at Lanzhou University, the team focused on isolating probiotic bacterial strains from Pakistani fermented sourdough bread to prevent the occurrence of celiac disease. Celiac disease is an immune disorder triggered by gluten consumption and is particularly prevalent in Asian countries like Pakistan, where diets high in gluten-containing foods are common. Khan aimed to leverage his expertise to aid those affected by this condition. Inspired by a previous study that isolated a probiotic strain from a traditional Chinese fermented food called jiangshui, which showed the ability to degrade uric acid and regulate gut microbiota, Khan and his team sought to isolate beneficial strains from Pakistani fermented sourdough bread. They successfully extracted probiotic bacterial strains called LZU-GM and conducted experiments on mice. Probiotics from Fermented Sourdough The results of their experiments and integrative analysis indicated that LZU-GM could mitigate the adverse effects of gluten additives in food and restore balance to gut microbiota in mice. However, further clinical trials are required to evaluate the safety and efficacy of these probiotics from fermented sourdough bread as a potential treatment for celiac disease. The team plans to continue their research by creating yogurt using the LZU-GM strains isolated from Pakistani sourdough bread and conducting additional experiments. Their goal is to develop a therapeutic adjunct agent that can be used in conjunction with existing treatments for celiac disease. The researchers believe their innovative solution holds promise for individuals living with this autoimmune disorder. Big Claims But Few Details While the researchers claim to have developed a promising new method for treating celiac disease, it is important to approach their findings with caution. The study focused on isolating probiotic bacterial strains from Pakistani fermented sourdough bread, aiming to prevent the occurrence of celiac disease. The results of experiments conducted on mice showed potential benefits, including the mitigation of adverse effects of gluten additives and restoration of gut microbiota balance. However, it is crucial to note that these findings are based on animal studies, and further clinical trials are necessary to assess the safety and efficacy of these probiotics in treating celiac disease in humans. More Evidence Needed Big claims require robust evidence, and at this stage, the evidence supporting the use of probiotic strains from fermented sourdough bread as a treatment for celiac disease is limited. While the preliminary results sound promising, it is important to emphasize the need for rigorous scientific investigation, including well-designed clinical trials, to validate the potential of these probiotics. Until conclusive evidence emerges from rigorous clinical trials, it is essential to remain cautious and prioritize thorough scientific scrutiny before considering these probiotics as a viable treatment option for individuals living with celiac disease. Read more in chinadaily.com

Celiac.com 09/01/2014 - At present, the number of reported celiac disease cases in China is extremely low, and celiac disease is considered to be rare in that country. To determine the accuracy of this perspective, a team of researchers recently set out to compile an accurate estimate of rates of celiac disease in China. The research team included Juanli Yuan, Jinyan Gao, Xin Li, Fahui Liu, Cisca Wijmenga, Hongbing Chen, and Luud J. W. J. Gilissen. They are variously affiliated with the State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, at Nanchang University in Nanchang, China, the Department of Genetics at the University Medical Centre Groningen of University of Groningen in Groningen, The Netherlands, with the Sino-German Joint Research Institute, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China, and with the Plant Research International at Wageningen University & Research Centre in Wageningen, The Netherlands. The team reviewed the literature for certain and possible cases of celiac disease, the predisposing HLA allele frequencies, and information on gluten exposure in China. For the review, the team used the MEDLINE database, Chinese full-text databases CNKI, CBM, VIP and WANFANG, and two HLA allele frequency net databases, along with the Chinese Statistics Yearbook databases. They performed meta-analysis by analyzing DQ2, DQ8 and DQB1*0201 gene frequencies, and heterogeneity, in populations from different geographic regions and ethnicities in China. They found that frequencies of the HLA-DQ2.5 and HLA-DQ8 haplotypes were 3.4% (95% confidence interval 1.3–5.5%) and 2.1% (0.1–4.1%), respectively. HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 antigen frequencies were 18.4% (15.0–21.7%) and 8.0% (4.5–11.4%), respectively. The frequency of the DQB1*0201 allele was 10.5% (9.3–11.6%), and the allele was more common in the northern Chinese than in the southern Chinese individuals. HLA haplotype data, in conjunction with increasing wheat consumption, strongly suggest that rates of celiac disease are far higher in China than currently reported. The researchers suggest that the Chinese government, medical and agricultural research institutions, and food industries work together to increase awareness about celiac disease to prevent it from growing into a medical and societal burden. Source: Open Original Shared Link

Celiac.com 12/25/2013 - At present, the number of reported celiac disease cases is extremely low in China. Until recently, celiac disease was considered to be rare in China. A team of researchers recently set out to compile an accurate estimate of rates of celiac disease in China. The research team included Juanli Yuan, Jinyan Gao, Xin Li, Fahui Liu, Cisca Wijmenga, Hongbing Chen, and Luud J. W. J. Gilissen. They are variously affiliated with the State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, at Nanchang University in Nanchang, China, the Department of Genetics at the University Medical Centre Groningen ofUniversity of Groningen in Groningen, The Netherlands, with the Sino-German Joint Research Institute, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China, and with the Plant Research International at Wageningen University & Research Centre in Wageningen, The Netherlands. The team used the MEDLINE database and four Chinese full-text databases (CNKI, CBM, VIP and WANFANG), as well as two HLA allele frequency net databases. along with the Chinese Statistics Yearbook databases, to review the literature for definite and suspected cases of celiac disease, the predisposing HLA allele frequencies, and information on gluten exposure in China. They performed meta-analysis by analyzing DQ2, DQ8 and DQB1*0201 gene frequencies and heterogeneity in populations from different geographic regions and ethnicities in China. They found that frequencies of the HLA-DQ2.5 and HLA-DQ8 haplotypes were 3.4% (95% confidence interval 1.3–5.5%) and 2.1% (0.1–4.1%), respectively. HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 antigen frequencies were 18.4% (15.0–21.7%) and 8.0% (4.5–11.4%), respectively. The frequency of the DQB1*0201 allele was 10.5% (9.3–11.6%), and the allele was more common in the northern Chinese than in the southern Chinese individuals. HLA haplotype data, in conjunction with increasing wheat consumption, strongly suggest that rates of celiac disease are far higher in China than currently reported. They suggest that the Chinese government, medical and agricultural research institutions, and food industries work together to increase awareness about celiac disease to prevent it from growing into a medical and societal burden. Source: PLOS ONE DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081151