Celiac Disease
At this time, there are no other theories counter-claiming the validity of celiac sprue as an immunologic disease. The disease is indeed genetic in nature and is inheritable. It is connected to genetically transmitted histo-compatible cell antigens namely HLA DR3-DQ2, DR4-DQ8 and DR5/7.
The disease can be identified through the condition known as villous atrophy or the damage within the upper small intestine’s mucosal lining. The consequence of this damage is inability of the intestines to absorb nutrients which further result to malnutrition.
The immune system intervenes with the mucosal injury or damage caused by this disease by triggering a reaction that treats toxic proteins especially prolamins (contained in gluten) as enemies of the body but instead of causing damage to the enemy, it causes damage to itself. That reaction causes the flattening of the villi in the small intestines. When prolamins are detected by T-cells (our body’s immune system cells), it then fights it out.
Flattening of the villi is the result of the body’s immune system action towards the toxic protein. Instead of causing damage to the enemy, it causes damage to the body because the protein that it fights is supposedly an integral part of the diet which is essential to the body of a person without this disease, that’s why it is called autoimmune disease due to its action towards its own body.
One good thing about this damage is that, it is reversible if prompt action is to be undertaken immediately. Although intestinal injury occurs due to this disease, it is slow to build up. There is a great chance of complete healing if the disease is diagnosed and treated early.
Other kinds of cereal proteins like zein (found in corn) and oryzenin in rice are not harmful to celiac sufferers because they contain sequences of amino acids of a different order.
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