Journal of Gastrointestinal & Digestive System
Open Access

Abstract

Background: Several studies have reported improved disease symptomology in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients consuming a gluten free diet. This observation coupled with diversity depletion in the gut microbiota of UC patients led us to hypothesize that UC-associated enteric microbes differentially metabolize dietary gluten to produce immunogenic products that promote inflammation. Methods: Gluten concentration in stool was determined using gluten-specific ELISA, and gluten intake was assessed by food frequency survey in UC (n=12) and healthy controls (HC; n=13). Gluten-metabolizing bacteria were isolated on minimal media supplemented with 1% gluten from UC and HC and identified by 16S rRNA profiling. Cell-free culture media from gluten metabolizing gut bacterial isolates was assessed for immunogenicity in vitro using HT29 colonocytes. Results: Compared to HC, UC patients didn�t consume gluten differently (Mann-Whitney; p > 0.10) and exhibited equivalent levels of gluten in their feces (Mann-Whitney; p=0.163). The profile of gluten-degrading bacteria isolated from UC stool was distinct (Chi-square; p = <0.0001). Compared with Enterococcus isolates, products of gluten degradation by Bacillus strains induced higher IL8 and lower occludin (Mann-Whitney; p=0.002 and p=0.059 respectively) gene expression in colonocytes irrespective of whether they originated from UC or healthy gut. Conclusion: Members of HC and UC microbiota exhibit gluten-degrading ability, metabolites of which influence genes involved in inflammation and barrier function in enteric colonocyte cultures. Preliminary findings of this study warrant further investigations into the mechanisms by which gut microbiota contribute to UC pathogenesis through gluten degradation.

Biography

Emma Harringer has completed her Medical Degree at the age of 27 years from University of Southern Denmark and her predoctoral fellowship from University of California San Francisco, supported by the Lundbeck Foundations DARE programme. She is starting her medical carreer at Hvidovre Hospital as a gastrointestinal surgeon this November and are hoping to join your International Conference on Gastroenterology and Liver next summer.