Offering new hope to coeliac patients
Understanding the mechanisms involved in activation of the immune system, which leads to the manifestation of coeliac disease (CD) has been the focus of the EU's GLUTEN EPITOPES IN C project. Immune T cells in CD patients recognise specific segments of gluten proteins, and these act as triggers for a misdirected immune response against the patient's own bowel lining. Gaining information on these protein segments, known as epitopes, and pinpointing the specific food groups in which they are encountered could be the first step towards disease prevention and treatment. For this purpose, project researchers concentrated their efforts on the identification of T cell stimulatory epitopes in particular foods like barley, rye and other cereals. Epitope structures in barley, rye and oats were determined; responses to the oat peptide avenin were considered of particular importance, since avenin is generally considered safe for CD patients. Studies now suggest that certain oat peptides can indeed stimulate T cell responses in CD patients and a small number of CD patients can develop oat intolerance. Based on these technologies and on initial study data, scientists have developed a novel test-kit for screening food products. The aim is the early and accurate detection of T cell epitopes in food thus preventing consumption and immune reactions. The kit is at the prototype stage and patents have already been filed for. Researchers are keen to exploit a variety of options relating to the product's commercialisation.
