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  • Essay / What is celiac disease? - 673

    Celiac disease is a genetically determined autoimmune disorder characterized by mucosal inflammation caused by intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley (Green et al., 2007). The disease is classically associated with gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain and constipation and is estimated to affect approximately 1% of the population (Miśkiewicz et al. 2012). The disease is often accompanied by weight loss, anemia, weakness and bone disease. Celiac disease has also been associated with reproductive dysfunction in women, such as recurrent miscarriages, menstrual cycle alternations, and infertility (Sóñora et al. 2011). Reproductive dysfunction is when there is an abnormality in the reproductive organs causing difficulties. reproduce. In general, it is said that reproductive dysfunction affects both men and women. Women who suffer from reproductive dysfunction tend to have complications during conception and pregnancy. The increased prevalence of celiac disease in women who suffer from reproductive dysfunction has been studied. Unexplained infertility in women suffering from celiac disease has been described since the 1970s (Pellicano et al. 2007). Women who suffer from celiac disease have a 2.5-3.5% higher rate of unexplained infertility than normal women (Pellicano et al. 2007). Women who suffer from celiac disease, whether treated or not, tend to have repeated miscarriages and be infertile (Ana Paula de Souza Machado et al. 2013). Low birth weight and shorter duration of breastfeeding have also been observed in women with celiac disease (Green et al. 2003). The link between celiac disease and reproductive dysfunction in women has been studied, but there is no known mechanism for this association. Researchers have been trying for many years to understand the mechanism linking celiac disease and reproductive dysfunction. Studies were carried out on the content of sera from celiac patients, tissue transglutaminase (tTG) activity and genotype. When studying the plasma of celiac patients, also known as serology, high amounts of IgA-specific antibodies (define) were observed (Sóñora et al. 2011). These antibodies react with tTG(define) and, although they are primarily localized in the jejunum, they can also be found in the liver, muscle, brain and heart. Antibodies specific to tTG may also affect enzyme activity, endothelial cell permeability, new blood vessel development, cell differentiation, and cell proliferation. Tissue transglutaminase is a multifunctional enzyme that is expressed in most tissues and in every cellular compartment.