Genetic links between coeliac disease and Crohn’s
Tuesday February 1st, 2011
Two unpleasant diseases of the digestion share part of their genetic background, according to new findings.
The link is between coeliac disease - whose victims cannot tolerate wheat and gluten - and Crohn’s disease.
The disorders, which are inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, share at least four genetic risk loci, according to a study carried out by researchers at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands; the Broad Institute, USA; the Université de Montréal and Montreal Heart Institute in Canada.
They carried out a combined meta-analysis of genome-wide data for both coeliac disease and Crohn’s disease and identified two new shared risk loci and two shared risk loci that had previously been independently identified for each disease.
Previous studies have shown that coeliac patients are at a higher risk of developing Crohn’s disease than non-sufferers.
It was thought the two illnesses would share genetic risk loci and this study, published in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics, combined the results from the genetic investigations into both diseases.
It showed that part of the genetic background of Crohn’s disease and coeliac disease is shared, confirming a common pathogenesis for the disorders.
The pathogenesis of both coeliac disease and Crohn’s disease is only partly understood, although it is known that they are affected by both genetic and environmental risk factors.
Coeliac patients develop an inflammation of the small bowel in reaction to gluten, whereas there is no specific known auto antigen for Crohn’s disease.
However, the primary cause of Crohn’s disease is thought to be a dysregulated immune response to gut bacteria.
The authors said that knowledge of the genetic background of the diseases is vital if there is to be a better understanding of the pathogenesis.
Tags: Allergies & Asthma | Diet & Food | Europe | Gastroenterology | North America
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