Cited by 344Gut microbiota and healthCeliac Disease Research and ManagementProbiotics and Fermented Foods

Effects of a gluten-free diet on gut microbiota and immune function in healthy adult human subjects

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De Palma, Giada, Nadal, Inmaculada, Collado, Maria Carmen, Sanz, Yolanda·2009·British Journal Of Nutrition

Abstract

Diet influences the composition of the gut microbiota and host's health, particularly in patients suffering from food-related diseases. Coeliac disease (CD) is a permanent intolerance to cereal gluten proteins and the only therapy for the patients is to adhere to a life-long gluten-free diet (GFD). In the present preliminary study, the effects of a GFD on the composition and immune function of the gut microbiota were analysed in ten healthy subjects (mean age 30.3 years) over 1 month. Faecal microbiota was analysed by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) and quantitative PCR (qPCR). The ability of faecal bacteria to stimulate cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was determined by ELISA. No significant differences in dietary intake were found before and after the GFD except for reductions (P = 0.001) in polysaccharides. Bifidobacterium, Clostridium lituseburense and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii proportions decreased (P = 0.007, P = 0.031 and P = 0.009, respectively) as a result of the GFD analysed by FISH. Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium longum counts decreased (P = 0.020, P = 0.001 and P = 0.017, respectively), while Enterobacteriaceae and Escherichia coli counts increased (P = 0.005 and P = 0.003) after the GFD assessed by qPCR. TNF-alpha, interferon-gamma, IL-10 and IL-8 production by PBMC stimulated with faecal samples was also reduced (P = 0.021, P = 0.037, P = 0.002 and P = 0.007, respectively) after the diet. Therefore, the GFD led to reductions in beneficial gut bacteria populations and the ability of faecal samples to stimulate the host's immunity. Thus, the GFD may constitute an environmental variable to be considered in treated CD patients for its possible effects on gut health.

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  • In healthy subjects, gluten-free diet is associated with reduction of beneficial gut bacteria populations, increase in opportunistic pathogens, and immune-suppressive effects.

    “Evidences on healthy subjects showed that gluten-free diet has been associated with the reduction of beneficial gut bacteria populations, the increase in opportunistic pathogens and with immune-suppressive effects [100,101,102].”

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Sanz Y, Sa ´nchez E, De Palma G, et al. (2008) Indigenous gut microbiota, probiotics, and coeliac disease. In Child Nutrition and Physiology, pp. 210-224 [LT Overton and MR Ewente, editors]. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers.
  2. Farran A, Zamora R & Cervera P (2004) Tablas de Composicio ´n de Alimentos CESNID (CESNID Food Composition Tables), 2nd ed. Barcelona: McGraw-Hill/Interamericana.

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Authors
De Palma, G., Nadal, I., Collado, M. C., & Sanz, Y.
Affiliations
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES)
Corresponding author
Sanz, Yolanda
Venue
British Journal Of Nutrition
Published
2009-05-18
Volume
102
Issue
8
Pages
1154-1160
ISSN
  • 0007-1145 (ISSN-L)
  • 1475-2662
OpenAlex
W2128777474
Cited by
344
References
30
Citations by year
2026: 16 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 42 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 11
FWCI
2.93
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • British Journal Of Nutrition (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Celiac Disease Research and Management
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
Keywords
gluten-free diet, gut microbiota, celiac disease, immune function, fecal bacteria, Bifidobacterium, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Lactobacillus, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, cytokine production, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, dietary polysaccharides, gut health
MeSH terms
Adult, Bacteria, Energy Intake, Cells, Cultured, Feces, Female, Humans, Leukocytes, Mononuclear, Male, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Cytokines, In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence, Diet, Gluten-Free, Young Adult

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