Intestinal Gluten Receptor Is Gateway for Celiac Disease (HealthDay)

THURSDAY, July 24 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers believe they have finally answered a basic question about the cause of celiac disease -- where in the body does the wheat protein gluten enter one's system? A study published in the July issue of Gastroenterology identifies the CXCR3 receptor in the intestine as a gluten gateway. When people with celiac disease eat gluten, the protein triggers their immune system to attack the body, causing a wide range of serious health problems. "This is a scientific question that had never been answered before," Dr. Alessio Fasano, medical director of the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said in an university news release. "It is not only significant in the basic science of autoimmune disorders such as celiac disease, but in therapeutic approaches... [read full story]