Some Random Thoughts About Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

[tex]

Mike,

I almost forgot. Concerning gene mutation and CD:

First, you are correct, the majority of folks with CD do have those 2 genes, but there are folks without them that do. Also, I think I remember reading some statistic for the number of folks of european decent having the CD genes, and the number was rather significant.

It's a very good assumption as I would venture to guess that a significant number of folks with autoimmune disease have a genetic factor that predisposes them to it. But let's look at CD, it's autoimmune, yet it isn't really a mutated gene. And it isn't the gene alone that is the cause.

According to Dr. Fasano, the DQ2/8 genes are necessary, but not sufficient, (for celiac disease). Here's a quote from transcript for a powerpoint presentation that he did:

Genetics : Several genes are involved The most consistent genetic component depends on the presence of HLA-DQ (DQ2 and / or DQ8) genes Other genes (not yet identified) account for 60 % of the inherited component of the disease HLA-DQ2 and / or DQ8 genes are necessary (No DQ2/8, no Celiac Disease!) but not sufficient for the development of the disease HLA ? ? ? ? Gluten Celiac Disease + Genes Genetics

http://www.authorstream.com/Presentatio ... owerpoint/

Note that the second half of the powerpoint presentation covers a gluten microchallenge study.

Aren't the DQ2/8 genes mutated?

Tex

[mle_ii]

As I said before in another thread I need to wake up more before I can fully respond, but I could have sworn that there are folks without DQ2 or 8 that have CD, but he seems to imply that is not the case. Confused here.

Aren't the DQ2/8 genes mutated?

Well, I suppose that depends on what you mean by "mutated". Obviously genes change from generation to generation as genes are selected. If this is what you mean by mutated, then yes. But mutation to me would be that a gene changes via some artificial process, and not via natural selection. Though even man made selection I probably wouldn't term a mutation per se. So perhaps I need to think about this a bit more.

Though I would argue that we're doing a good job of breaking this "natural" selection via our current health care system. But this starts to get into moral issues as well. I'm not saying that we shouldn't take care of sick folks, but it seems that we start to change this selection process and might it make a turn for more disease down the road because of this. Boy is this a sticky subject full of moral choices for sure not one I'd ever want to have to make a choice in for sure.

Mike

[mle_ii]

Oh and I'll see if I can dig up the Autoimmune aspect I was talking about regarding its "good" aspect, one so that I can reassure myself that I didn't misread, and two so you don't end up doing too much more research on my comments. :)

[tex]

FWIW, I didn't think that those "celiac" genes were a necessary prerequisite to the disease, either. I just happened to stumble across that presentation while searching for information on gliadin/glutenin toxicity, regarding the history of wheat "accession".

Yep, we have definitely turned "natural" evolution upside down, not only regarding our own infirmities, but look at how we are both promoting, (causing), and disrupting, (trying to prevent), the process of natural extinctions of devolving species. If I remember correctly, something like 90 % of all the species that ever inhabited this planet, became extinct before we ever came along, and yet we feel so guilty about being the dominant species, that we feel obligated to blame ourselves for everything negative that happens to any other species, which inspires us to be willing to do almost anything, to try to save each and every species that is threatened with extinction, regardless of circumstances.

Talk about a moral issue - I'm not saying that this is bad, (nor am I saying that it's good), I'm just saying that it's not "natural". In the early years in the development of homo sapiens, for example, someone with an IBD, would quickly get so run down and malnourished, that a short-faced bear, or saber-toothed tiger would promptly remove that individual from the gene pool. Hopefully, science will eventually discover how to "correct" all these acrued genetic "issues", before we devolve into a totally dysfunctional organism.

Tex

[mle_ii]

"before we devolve into a totally dysfunctional organism" Must bite tounge... won't go there... oh, man, I can't help myself... "before" we devolve??? ;D LOL