"Celiac disease, an immune system reaction to gluten in the diet, is at least four times as common today as it was 50 years ago, according to findings of a Mayo Clinic study published this month in the journal Gastroenterology. Joseph Murray, M.D., a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologis, describes the study findings and provides background on the disease, its symptoms and treatment."
Following current theories about this condition, I can't help but wonder if the increased incidence of Celiac disease could be related to some type of viral intervention. There is emerging evidence that the IGRM gene, which is directly related to Crohn's/Celiac disease, has recently been resurrected after being inactivated millions of years ago by a human endogenous retrovirus:
"For 25 million years, the IRGM gene was effectively dead. But then, in the common ancestor of humans and the great apes, something unexpected happened. The gene somehow regained its ability to produce a protein, albeit a shortened one. The gene had been resurrected, and ironically enough, its saviour was another genetic hitchhiker that inserted itself in just the right place."
This may very well be the first documented examples of gene death and rebirth. It would seem to follow that there could be a link with HERVs, the IRGM gene, and the recent increase in gluten intolerance and Crohn's disease.
I would be curious to hear people's comments about this theory.
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References:
Death and Resurrection of the Human IRGM Gene
The death and resurrection of IRGM - the "Jesus gene"
Celiac Disease Prevalence and Mortality
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