Grant: Operating Grant

Celiac Disease (CD) is a common digestive disorder affecting children and adults. When people that have the genes for CD (HLA-DQ2 or DQ8) eat cereals that contain gluten, it creates an inflammatory reaction that causes damage to the intestine and does not allow food to be properly absorbed. People with CD also suffer from osteporosis, depression, infertility, and have increased risk to develop Type 1 diabetes and some cancers. In Canada, 1:100 persons are affected and gluten intolerance is more frequent today than 40 years ago. There is no treatment for CD except for the gluten-free diet. This is a life-long committment and is very expensive for families as gluten-free foods are costly and not covered by the health care system. Moreover, it is not recommended in milder forms of gluten intolerance that cause symptoms but do not damage the intestinal lining. This increases the possibility to progress from milder gluten intolerance to the severe condition of CD. The growing number of CD cases and gluten intolerance is alarming and we do understand the reasons behind this increase, but may relate to changes in our environment. Thus, we propose to investigate the role of good (probiotics) and bad gut bacteria in CD and gluten intolerance. We will use mice with no gut bacteria (germ-free) that express the human genes present in people with CD that can be colonized with gut bacteria from patients with CD and healthy people. Our results will contribute to a better understanding of the environmental factors that can promote food intolerances. With this knowledge, preventative therapies for CD and gluten-related disorders could be possible in the future. These will improve the quality of life of gluten intolerant patients as well as reduce the risks and health care costs associated with complications of CD and associated diseases such as Type 1 diabetes and cancer.