Latest news with #WalterandElizaHallInstitute
The Age
9 hours ago
- Health
- The Age
Think gluten makes you sick? A new test could tell you for sure
It's a terrible dilemma. Sick of suffering diarrhoea, fatigue and bloating, people who suspect they might have coeliac disease give up gluten and begin to feel better. But then a doctor orders them to keep eating bread for months. That's because coeliac disease can be diagnosed only if the body is reacting against gluten. Now Australian scientists have developed a new ultra-sensitive blood test for the disease that works even in people following a strict gluten-free diet. The researchers believe the test could one day replace the need for gastroscopies and biopsies of the intestine to check for damage, the current methods doctors use to confirm diagnosis. 'People want to get tested, but then they're told they have to go back to eating gluten, which is really difficult because it often makes them sick. We're talking a couple of slices of bread a day for six weeks,' lead author of the Gastroenterology study from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Associate Professor Jason Tye-Din, said. Loading The draining and tedious testing process is part of the reason the disease is underdiagnosed. One study estimated 80 per cent of people with the disease don't know they have it. 'It's an important lifelong condition. It can lead to infertility and osteoporosis and cancers,' he said. About 10 to 15 per cent of Australians are on gluten-free diets, but many are unsure if they have coeliac disease or just a gluten intolerance. (Both have similar symptoms but only coeliac disease results in long-term gut damage).
Sydney Morning Herald
9 hours ago
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Think gluten makes you sick? A new test could tell you for sure
It's a terrible dilemma. Sick of suffering diarrhoea, fatigue and bloating, people who suspect they might have coeliac disease give up gluten and begin to feel better. But then a doctor orders them to keep eating bread for months. That's because coeliac disease can be diagnosed only if the body is reacting against gluten. Now Australian scientists have developed a new ultra-sensitive blood test for the disease that works even in people following a strict gluten-free diet. The researchers believe the test could one day replace the need for gastroscopies and biopsies of the intestine to check for damage, the current methods doctors use to confirm diagnosis. 'People want to get tested, but then they're told they have to go back to eating gluten, which is really difficult because it often makes them sick. We're talking a couple of slices of bread a day for six weeks,' lead author of the Gastroenterology study from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Associate Professor Jason Tye-Din, said. Loading The draining and tedious testing process is part of the reason the disease is underdiagnosed. One study estimated 80 per cent of people with the disease don't know they have it. 'It's an important lifelong condition. It can lead to infertility and osteoporosis and cancers,' he said. About 10 to 15 per cent of Australians are on gluten-free diets, but many are unsure if they have coeliac disease or just a gluten intolerance. (Both have similar symptoms but only coeliac disease results in long-term gut damage).
Courier-Mail
19-05-2025
- Health
- Courier-Mail
Just 2 days of eating high-fat food can damage your gut, study shows
Diets high in saturated fats have been linked to heart disease and strokes, but now Australian researchers believe they've found a link between these foods and chronic inflammation. We know some foods aren't great for our guts, but some are definitely worse than others. A new study from Melbourne's WEHI (formerly the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute) has found that high-fat foods could damage our guts without us even realising. Experts already encourage us not to follow diets high in saturated fats, with the Heart Foundation noting that 'eating too much saturated fat can raise the level of LDL(bad) cholesterol in your blood', and 'a high level of LDL cholesterol in your blood increases your risk of heart disease and stroke.' WEHI's pre-clinical study has highlighted that just a few meals high in saturated fats could cause chronic inflammation. The research team believes symptoms may not appear for years. Mice were fed high-fat meals as a part of the study, and despite having no signs of weight gain or other obvious symptoms of inflammation, the researchers found 'microscopic changes' to their gut health and function. We've shown that every meal we consume actively shapes our gut health. The paper's senior author, Dr Cyril Seillet said 'we've shown that every meal we consume actively shapes our gut health'. 'The more saturated fats we eat, the more inflammation that builds up – gradually weakening our gut defences and increasing our susceptibility to chronic inflammation.' He added that although we may experience some discomfort after eating foods high in saturated fats, we may not be immediately aware of the level of inflammation they can cause, saying 'this inflammation build-up is initially silent, remaining hidden in our bodies until years later, where it can present as chronic inflammation.' Just eating high-fat foods for a short period can decrease the body's production of the protein. IL-22 is an important protein for fighting inflammation, improving mucous production and promoting wound healing. WEHI Laboratory Head Professor Stephen Nutt found that just eating high-fat foods for a short period can decrease the body's production of the protein. The paper's first author, Le Xiong explained that these findings are concerning, highlighting that diets high in saturated fats could both trigger inflammation and hinder the body from being able to fight it. If you add avocado to everything, good news! You could be protecting your gut from inflammation. Image: Getty 'It took only two days of consuming high-fat foods for the mice to lose their IL-22 stores and have an impaired gut function' he said. 'Despite their gut protection capabilities being stripped away, the mice still looked healthy – highlighting how gut health can be compromised long before any visible symptoms appear.' But if you add avocado to everything, good news! You could be protecting your gut from inflammation. Avocados, nuts, seeds, olives and oily fish are high in unsaturated fats and are already endorsed by the Heart Foundation for their role in boosting our heart health. After introducing unsaturated fats into the mice's diets, the team saw the rodents' IL-22 levels grow, signalling that by consuming these foods, people may be able to boost their production of the important protein naturally to potentially improve their gut health. Image: iStock After introducing unsaturated fats into the mice's diets, the team saw the rodents' IL-22 levels grow, signalling that by consuming these foods, people may be able to boost their production of the important protein naturally to potentially improve their gut health. More research is needed, but Seillet said, 'while occasional high-fat meals won't impair your gut protection barrier, a consistent diet that is high in saturated fats is laying the foundation for chronic gut inflammation to present in future.' Originally published as Just 2 days of eating high-fat food can damage your gut, study shows
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Undiscovered cause of Parkinson's found for first time by scientists in huge breakthrough
Scientists have made a potentially 'life-changing' discovery that could pave the way for new drugs to treat Parkinson's disease. Experts have known for several decades that the PINK1 protein is directly linked to Parkinson's disease – the fastest growing neurodegenerative condition in the world. Until now, no one has seen what human PINK1 looks like, how PINK1 attaches to the surface of damaged mitochondria inside of cells, or how it is activated. But scientists have now discovered how the mutation switches on and can start using this knowledge to find a way to switch it off and slow the progression of the condition down. Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkinson's Disease Research Centre, in Australia, have solved the decades-long mystery. The findings published in the journal Science reveal for the first time ever the structure of PINK1 and how it binds to mitochondria – the powerhouse of a cell – and stops it functioning properly. Parkinson's disease can take years, sometimes decades to diagnose. Often associated with tremors, there are close to 40 symptoms including cognitive impairment, speech issues, body temperature regulation and vision problems. The neurological condition affects around 153,000 Britons. There is currently no cure for Parkinson's, although medicine, physiotherapy and surgery can help manage symptoms. One of the hallmarks of Parkinson's is the death of brain cells. Around 50 million cells die and are replaced in the human body every minute. But, unlike other cells in the body, when brain cells die, the rate at which they are replaced is extremely low. When mitochondria are damaged, they stop making energy and release toxins into the cell. In a healthy person, the damaged cells are disposed of in a process called mitophagy. In a person with Parkinson's and a PINK1 mutation, the mitophagy process no longer functions correctly and toxins accumulate in the cell, eventually killing it. Brain cells need a lot of energy and are especially sensitive to this damage. In particular, PINK1 has been linked to young-onset Parkinson's Disease, which affects people under the age of 50. Despite the known link, researchers have previously been unable to visualise the protein or how it works. 'This is a significant milestone for research into Parkinson's. It is incredible to finally see PINK1 and understand how it binds to mitochondria,' said Professor David Komander, corresponding author on the study. 'Our structure reveals many new ways to change PINK1, essentially switching it on, which will be life-changing for people with Parkinson's,' he added. Lead author on the study, Dr Sylvie Callegari, said PINK1 works in four distinct steps, with the first two steps not having been seen before. First, PINK1 senses mitochondrial damage. Then, it attaches to damaged mitochondria. Once attached, it links to a protein called Parkin so that the damaged mitochondria can be recycled. 'This is the first time we've seen human PINK1 docked to the surface of damaged mitochondria, and it has uncovered a remarkable array of proteins that act as the docking site. We also saw, for the first time, how mutations present in people with Parkinson's disease affect human PINK1,' said Dr Callegari. The idea of using PINK1 as a target for potential drug therapies has long been touted but not yet achieved because the structure of PINK1 and how it attaches to damaged mitochondria were unknown. The research team hope to use the knowledge to find a drug to slow or stop Parkinson's in people with a PINK1 mutation. Researchers in the UK also believe the discovery could lead to better drug design. Consultant neurologist Dr Richard Ellis said: 'It is a crucial step towards understanding the impact of PINK1 in Parkinson's disease. These observations may hopefully create new opportunities for developing novel strategies for slowing the progression of Parkinson's disease.' Dr Zhi Yao, research scientist, Life Arc, said: 'A robust understanding of these aspects could present a significant opportunity for accelerating drug discovery for Parkinson's disease and potentially other neurodegenerative conditions too.' Becky Jones, research communications manager at Parkinson's UK, said: 'Changes in the PINK1 have long been linked to Parkinson's, and a specific mutation in the gene that contains the instructions for making the protein are known to cause a rare inherited form of the condition. 'It's encouraging to see this research, which will help us understand how changes in PINK1 might be causing damage to dopamine-producing brain cells in people with Parkinson's. 'This knowledge unlocks future avenues for better drug design and discovery of a treatment that could slow or even stop Parkinson's progression. This is vital, as despite it being the fastest growing neurological condition in the world, we don't yet have any drug treatments that can do this.'
The Independent
15-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Undiscovered cause of Parkinson's found for first time by scientists in huge breakthrough
Scientists have made a potentially 'life-changing' discovery that could pave the way for new drugs to treat Parkinson's disease. Experts have known for several decades that the PINK1 protein is directly linked to Parkinson's disease – the fastest growing neurodegenerative condition in the world. Until now, no one has seen what human PINK1 looks like, how PINK1 attaches to the surface of damaged mitochondria inside of cells, or how it is activated. But scientists have now discovered how the mutation switches on and can start using this knowledge to find a way to switch it off and slow the progression of the condition down. Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkinson's Disease Research Centre, in Australia, have solved the decades-long mystery. The findings published in the journal Science reveal for the first time ever the structure of PINK1 and how it binds to mitochondria – the powerhouse of a cell – and stops it functioning properly. Parkinson's disease can take years, sometimes decades to diagnose. Often associated with tremors, there are close to 40 symptoms including cognitive impairment, speech issues, body temperature regulation and vision problems. The neurological condition affects around 153,000 Britons. There is currently no cure for Parkinson's, although medicine, physiotherapy and surgery can help manage symptoms. One of the hallmarks of Parkinson's is the death of brain cells. Around 50 million cells die and are replaced in the human body every minute. But, unlike other cells in the body, when brain cells die, the rate at which they are replaced is extremely low. When mitochondria are damaged, they stop making energy and release toxins into the cell. In a healthy person, the damaged cells are disposed of in a process called mitophagy. In a person with Parkinson's and a PINK1 mutation, the mitophagy process no longer functions correctly and toxins accumulate in the cell, eventually killing it. Brain cells need a lot of energy and are especially sensitive to this damage. In particular, PINK1 has been linked to young-onset Parkinson's Disease, which affects people under the age of 50. Despite the known link, researchers have previously been unable to visualise the protein or how it works. 'This is a significant milestone for research into Parkinson's. It is incredible to finally see PINK1 and understand how it binds to mitochondria,' said Professor David Komander, corresponding author on the study. 'Our structure reveals many new ways to change PINK1, essentially switching it on, which will be life-changing for people with Parkinson's,' he added. Lead author on the study, Dr Sylvie Callegari, said PINK1 works in four distinct steps, with the first two steps not having been seen before. First, PINK1 senses mitochondrial damage. Then, it attaches to damaged mitochondria. Once attached, it links to a protein called Parkin so that the damaged mitochondria can be recycled. 'This is the first time we've seen human PINK1 docked to the surface of damaged mitochondria, and it has uncovered a remarkable array of proteins that act as the docking site. We also saw, for the first time, how mutations present in people with Parkinson's disease affect human PINK1,' said Dr Callegari. The idea of using PINK1 as a target for potential drug therapies has long been touted but not yet achieved because the structure of PINK1 and how it attaches to damaged mitochondria were unknown. The research team hope to use the knowledge to find a drug to slow or stop Parkinson's in people with a PINK1 mutation. Researchers in the UK also believe the discovery could lead to better drug design. Consultant neurologist Dr Richard Ellis said: 'It is a crucial step towards understanding the impact of PINK1 in Parkinson's disease. These observations may hopefully create new opportunities for developing novel strategies for slowing the progression of Parkinson's disease.' Dr Zhi Yao, research scientist, Life Arc, said: 'A robust understanding of these aspects could present a significant opportunity for accelerating drug discovery for Parkinson's disease and potentially other neurodegenerative conditions too.' Becky Jones, research communications manager at Parkinson's UK, said: 'Changes in the PINK1 have long been linked to Parkinson's, and a specific mutation in the gene that contains the instructions for making the protein are known to cause a rare inherited form of the condition. 'It's encouraging to see this research, which will help us understand how changes in PINK1 might be causing damage to dopamine-producing brain cells in people with Parkinson's. 'This knowledge unlocks future avenues for better drug design and discovery of a treatment that could slow or even stop Parkinson's progression. This is vital, as despite it being the fastest growing neurological condition in the world, we don't yet have any drug treatments that can do this.'
