New Study: Accutane May Worsen Celiac Disease

Retinoic acid, a byproduct of vitamin A found in the former acne drug Accutane, may aggravate the symptoms of celiac disease, according to Julie Steenhuysen of Reuters.  This disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, prevents individuals from eating many types of grains and grain-based foods, says the article.

People with celiac disease cannot digest gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and other grains, Reuters reports.  As with other autoimmune diseases, the body’s immune system reacts negatively to the protein, damaging itself in the process.  Approximately 1% of the population has this disease, which left untreated can cause anemia, poor bone health, fatigue, and weight loss, the article explains.  The only known treatment is a gluten-free diet.

Scientists at the Digestive Disease Research Core Center at the University of Chicago were studying the effects of a protein molecule called Interleukin 15 on the digestive systems of mice, says Reuters.  This compound is known to be found in high levels in people with celiac disease, the article explains, so researchers flooded the intestines of the mice with Interleukin 15.  According to Steenhuysen, the mice subsequently developed symptoms of the disease, which began to disappear once scientists treated the mice with medication that blocked Interleukin 15.

According to the Reuters report, treating the mice with retinoic acid actually increased inflammation of the bowel and worsened tissue damage.  The article explains that retinoic acid is one of the compounds in Accutane, an acne drug that was pulled off the market in 2009 by its manufacturer, Roche.  Accutane is known to cause inflammatory bowel disease as a rare but extremely serious side effect, and this new research suggests that it may also worsen the disease in patients that had it before, reports Reuters.

However, the good news is that medications that block Interleukin 15 may offer relief for patients with celiac disease, says the article.  These medications are already being used to treat arthritis, another inflammatory autoimmune condition, explains Steenhuysen.  Dr. Bana Jabri, a researcher on the project, says, “If there is a disregulation in the intestinal environment, this alone can explain how you can lose tolerance to some food items.”  According to the article, blocking Interleukin 15 may help treat this disregulation.

References:

Steenhuysen, Julie. (February 9, 2011). “Immune imbalance in gut may trigger celiac disease.” Retrieved February 15, 2011 from Reuters.