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Showing results for tags 'enzyme therapy'.
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Celiac.com 12/03/2024 - Understanding celiac disease has advanced significantly over recent years. From novel treatments to groundbreaking insights into the immune system’s response to gluten, these research breakthroughs are paving the way for new therapies and more accurate diagnoses. Here are five recent advances you’ll want to know about if you or someone you know is affected by celiac disease. 1. Exploring the Gut-Brain Connection in Celiac Disease Scientists have long recognized the importance of the gut-brain connection, and it’s now a major focus in celiac research. Celiac disease doesn’t just affect the digestive system; it’s also linked to neurological symptoms like anxiety, depression, and brain fog. Recent studies show that inflammatory markers in the bloodstream may cross the blood-brain barrier in people with celiac disease, leading to brain inflammation. This discovery has opened the door to new ways of treating neurological symptoms in those with celiac disease. Future therapies may target inflammation in the brain, improving mental health and cognitive function for those with the condition. 2. Targeted Immune Therapies to Reduce Gluten Sensitivity While a vaccine like Nexvax2 hasn’t been successful in trials, and the immune-targeting therapy larazotide acetate has also failed in trials, another promising development in celiac research is ZED1227, an experimental drug specifically designed to inhibit the body’s inflammatory response to gluten. ZED1227 works by blocking transglutaminase 2 (TG2), an enzyme that plays a critical role in the immune reaction to gluten. By targeting TG2, ZED1227 aims to prevent the immune system from attacking the gut lining when gluten is ingested, which could significantly reduce symptoms and intestinal damage for people with celiac disease. Early clinical trials have shown that ZED1227 is both safe and effective at reducing inflammation in response to gluten exposure, even in small amounts. While it’s not a cure and doesn’t replace a gluten-free diet, ZED1227 could offer a valuable safety net for individuals at risk of accidental gluten ingestion. If further trials continue to show positive results, ZED1227 could become the first medication designed to protect against gluten-induced damage, representing a major advancement in celiac disease management. 3. Enzyme Therapy as a Gluten Defense One promising area of celiac research involves enzymes designed to break down gluten before it reaches the small intestine. Scientists are investigating various enzyme therapies that could help people with celiac disease digest gluten more effectively. These enzymes, when taken as a supplement, aim to neutralize gluten before it causes damage. Although these enzymes won’t replace a gluten-free diet, they could reduce the severity of reactions after accidental gluten exposure. Enzyme therapy is currently in clinical trials, with researchers optimistic about its potential to provide a new layer of protection for those with celiac disease. 4. New Diagnostic Tests for Earlier and More Accurate Detection Diagnosing celiac disease traditionally requires a combination of blood tests and a biopsy, but researchers are exploring non-invasive alternatives. For instance, one study focused on developing a simple breath test to detect celiac-specific markers in the gut. This new method could allow for faster and less invasive screening, helping to identify celiac disease earlier in life. Early diagnosis is crucial to avoid long-term complications, such as osteoporosis and other autoimmune disorders. As these tests become more refined, they promise to simplify the diagnosis process and make it more accessible. 5. Advances in Personalized Nutrition and Microbiome Research The unique composition of each person’s gut microbiome may affect the severity of their celiac symptoms, and recent research has uncovered connections between the gut microbiome and gluten sensitivity. Scientists are studying how different bacterial strains in the gut influence immune responses to gluten. This research could lead to personalized dietary recommendations and probiotic treatments tailored to each individual’s microbiome. By adjusting gut bacteria to support digestive health, this approach may help manage symptoms more effectively and even enhance the body’s ability to tolerate small amounts of gluten. 6. CRISPR-Modified Wheat: Gene Editing for Gluten-Free Grains In a groundbreaking approach to celiac disease, scientists are exploring the use of CRISPR gene-editing technology to develop gluten-free wheat. By targeting the specific genes responsible for gluten proteins in wheat, researchers aim to “turn off” or modify the genes that trigger the immune response in people with celiac disease. Unlike traditional gluten-free options, this modified wheat would maintain the texture and nutritional profile of regular wheat, potentially providing a much-needed alternative for baking and cooking. While still in development, CRISPR-modified wheat holds great promise for those with celiac disease, offering the possibility of enjoying wheat-based products without risking an immune reaction. Early research has shown success in reducing specific gluten proteins, and with further refinement, CRISPR-modified wheat could become a viable, naturally gluten-free option. This innovation could revolutionize food choices and significantly improve quality of life for individuals with celiac disease. Looking Ahead: Hope for the Celiac Community With these advancements, the future looks brighter for those living with celiac disease. While a strict gluten-free diet remains the primary treatment, these breakthroughs represent meaningful progress in understanding and managing the disease. From vaccines and enzyme therapies to early diagnostics and microbiome research, each of these areas holds promise for improved quality of life. As research continues, the celiac community can look forward to more personalized and effective treatments, allowing for a more balanced and less restrictive lifestyle. Until then, staying informed and connected with medical updates can empower those affected by celiac disease to make educated choices about their health. Watch the video version of this article:
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Celiac.com 03/25/2023 - Researchers reported last month that they have discovered the cause of celiac disease: A small fragment of the gluten protein fails to break down and triggers the immune systems into action. In addition to discovering the key fragment that makes gluten so poisonous to celiacs, Dr. Chaitan Khosla, researcher and founder of the Celiac Sprue Research Foundation (CSRF), reports that he has also found a bacterial enzyme that breaks down the toxic peptide and appears to make gluten digestible and safe. The enzyme could well become the key to an oral medication for celiac disease. The CSRF is a science-driven public charity that seeks to improve the quality of life of celiac patients by promoting research and development, and by enhancing awareness of the disease among scientists, healthcare professionals, consumer product manufacturers and the general public. Its primary goal is to translate emerging knowledge about celiac disease into a comprehensive plan for developing a therapeutic alternative to a gluten-free diet. Once the Foundation’s initial drug development strategy has been launched, it will use available resources to promote basic research that might lead to fundamentally new insights into the disease, and to improve technologies for detecting new patients of this seriously under-diagnosed disease. It is anticipated that each of the therapeutic possibilities being researched by the CSRF will require 1-3 years of pre-clinical research before a suitable Investigational New Drug (IND) candidate can be identified for further clinical studies. Once an IND application has been successfully filed with the U.S. FDA or its European equivalent, extensive human clinical studies must be performed to thoroughly assess both the safety and efficacy of the drug candidate. These clinical trials can be expected to last 5-8 years before a prescription drug emerges in the marketplace. Until such studies are successfully completed, no candidate therapeutic agent can be considered suitable for use by celiac sprue patients. The CSRF has ambitious and achievable goals if it can gain the immediate support of the celiac community. The CSRF is actively raising funds to help support the above research and development efforts.
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Celiac.com 07/27/2020 - Immunogenic gluten peptides that resist gastrointestinal breakdown are the main triggers for celiac disease. Gluten degrading enzymes represent a promising treatment option for managing celiac disease, but need to meet certain conditions within the gut to render gluten harmless before it reaches the duodenum. A team of researchers recently set out to review oral, gluten-degrading enzymes meant for use by celiacs on a gluten-free diet, discussing their origin and activities, their clinical evaluation and challenges for therapeutic application. The research team included Guoxian Wei, Eva J Helmerhorst, Ghassan Darwish, Gabriel Blumenkranz, and Detlef Schuppan. They are variously affiliated with the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; the Institute for Translational Immunology and Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) Medical Center in Mainz, Germany; and the Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Most people with celiac disease are exposed to trace amounts of gluten on a regular basis. Whether due to high sensitivity or repeated exposure, many celiac patients continue to suffer both symptoms and damage despite following a gluten-free diet. In addition to simplified testing for ongoing gluten-exposure, there's a pressing need for safe treatments that can help address the realities of gluten-exposure by those on a gluten-free diet. Gluten-degrading enzymes are one especially promising option. To be effective, such enzymes would need to be safe for people, active under gastro-duodenal conditions, and rapidly neutralizing T cell activating gluten peptides. Gluten peptides normally resist digestion, but a number of enzymes, including bacterial, fungal and plant derived glutenases, especially food-grade subtilisins (Sub-A), prolyl endopeptidases (PEP), AN-PEP enzymes, barley seed derived glutamine-specific cysteine endoprotease (EP-B2) and synthetic glutenases (Kuma030) are all potential game changers for oral enzyme therapy for people with celiac disease. Researchers have had some success with various combinations of enzymes, molecular modeling and chemical modifications, such as PEGylation, enteric coatings or enzyme carriers. The goal is to develop a product that can quickly and completely break down immunogenic gluten peptides that are bound up in foods. The digestion of gluten peptides must happen fully within the stomach and proximal small intestine before these peptides reach the mucosal immune system of the small intestine. Without exception, these enzymes must function in the glutamine- and proline-rich environments of antigenic gluten peptides. Such enzymes also need to remain stable in stomach acid, and in the near neutral pH in the duodenum. According to the researchers: "Bacterial, fungal and plant derived glutenases, especially (food-grade) subtilisins (Sub-A), prolyl endopeptidases (PEP), barley seed derived glutamine-specific cysteine endoprotease (EP-B2) and synthetic glutenases (Kuma030) are considered promising candidates for an (adjunctive) oral enzyme therapy. " The team's recent review acknowledges the potential for oral enzymes in improving celiac disease treatment, and focuses on the origins and actions, clinical evaluations and therapeutic challenges faced by enzymes intended to treat celiac disease. Read more at: MDPI.com
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