A study published last week in Cell suggests that immune cells in the bowels of people who suffer from celiac disease are permanently replaced by a subset of cells that promote inflammation. This permanent ‘immunological scarring’ lays the foundation for the disease to progress and could have long-term implications for gut health in affected patients. The results also suggest that the same process could be contributing to other chronic intestinal disorders, such as ulcerative colitis.
“In celiac disease, T cells found in the bowel react to gluten and cause inflammation, which damages the lining of the bowel,” says co-author James Mclaren of Cardiff University. “Under normal circumstances, T cells have a protective role in the bowel and form a stable population. However, in celiac disease, they contribute to the inflammatory process, causing short-term symptoms and increasing the risk of developing certain types of bowel cancer.”
However, the new study has found that these short-term symptoms are not the only effects of celiac disease.
“Our new study suggests that even though short-term symptoms, such as diarrhea and abdominal pain, can be alleviated by removing gluten from the diet, long-term implications may remain, because ‘tissue-healing’ T cells in the bowel are permanently replaced by ‘pro-inflammatory’ T cells,” Mclaren explains.
The international researchers hope that their new findings will help inform the treatment of chronic intestinal disorders.