Monday, February 28, 2011
Researchers from the LUMC and Plant Research International (WUR) have discovered how to produce wheat that doesn't influence people suffering from celiac disease, an uncontrolled immune response to gluten. They showed that there exist natural variants of the peptide genes which are less toxic for the patients.
The researchers provided proof of principle at the peptide level that through the systematic introduction of such naturally occurring variations, genes can be generated that no longer encode antigenic peptides. This forms a crucial step in the development of strategies to modify gluten genes in wheat so that it becomes safe for celiac disease patients.
read the article in PLoS ONE
read the press release (in Dutch)
see also an article published in the Dutch newspaper 'De Telegraaf'