NIAID-Funded Researchers, StanfordMed Identify IL-7 as Potential Treatment Target for Celiac Disease in Nature

Jul 25, 2024, 11:10 AM

Researchers funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) have developed an organoid model of Celiac Disease that replicates the tissue structure and immune features of the human intestine. This model, credited to StanfordMed, has identified Interleukin-7 (IL-7) as a potential treatment target. IL-7 is a gluten-inducible pathogenic modulator that regulates CD8+ T-cell NKG2C/D expression and is necessary for epithelial destruction in the gut. The findings, published in Nature, highlight a new link between gluten and intestinal damage, providing a promising direction for future Celiac Disease therapies.