Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects 1% of genetically predisposed people worldwide, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation. Yet, only about 30% of those are properly diagnosed. The only treatment is a strict gluten-free diet, avoiding all foods with wheat, rye and barley ingredients.

A team of researchers from Kansas State University’s Wheat Genetics Resource Center and USDA’s Agricultural Resource Service, with support from Kansas Wheat, announced Dec. 11 a major breakthrough in wheat that could change the lives of those living with celiac.

They successfully used the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technique to reduce two gluten-coding genes, or gliadins, that are abundant in immunoreactive peptides, which are the amino acid building blocks that form proteins.

Or, in simpler terms, the team figured out how to reduce the toxicity of the gluten in a wheat line to people who have celiac disease.

“We were very surprised that once we edited those genes, we reduced the immunotoxicity caused by gliadin genes in wheat by 47-fold,” says Eduard Akhunov, university distinguished professor in the Department of Plant Pathology, and director of the Wheat Genetics Resource Center.

According to Kansas State University Research and Extension News Service, Akhunov’s team of scientists is using genomics, genetics and genome editing to improve wheat. One of those tools is CRISPR-Cas9, a genome-editing tool. As the Mayo Clinic explains it, this tool acts like “find and replace” in DNA, cutting out a portion of the DNA and introducing a new letter sequence.

The team used a common wheat cultivar, “Fielder,” in its work.

A step forward

It’s important to understand that a true “gluten-free” wheat is highly unlikely to ever be developed. The gluten protein is what gives dough its stretchy nature, and it provides texture and flavor that are critical for making breads and noodles.

Companies such as Amber Wave in Phillipsburg, Kan., for example, are processing wheat to capture vital wheat gluten from wheat, which is then turned into a supplemental protein products for many applications from food to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

What this research project shows is that the edited wheat lines produced gluten molecules that a body with celiac may not see as toxic, and thus reduce the body’s immune response. It doesn’t mean that wheat is immediately safe for those with severe celiac disease, Akhunov says, but it’s a step toward that goal.

“In our edited lines, we also found that while there was a reduction in toxicity [due to lower levels of toxic gluten molecules], we did not have any reduction in the dough quality that is important for bread-making,” Akhunov says. They were able to reduce the toxicity of the gluten to a person with celiac, and still maintain dough quality.

“Wheat varieities with reduced toxicity levels will help to broaden wheat-based product options for people with minor gluten-related issues,” Akhunov adds.

The future may very well see commercially available wheat varieties that could be safer for those with celiac disease. But that’s a long way down the road.

Future implications

The global gluten-free products market was worth about $11.72 billion in 2023, with expectations to grow 10% by 2032. This market has been a boon for crops like sorghum, which is naturally gluten-free and can be used in place of wheat in many food applications, from baked goods to beverages.  

But, if future wheat farmers could grow targeted wheat varieties that have reduced gluten content, or gluten that’s been modified to be more tolerable by celiac sufferers, it could see a huge demand.

According to Aaron Harries, Kansas Wheat vice president of research and operations, it’s not likely that every new wheat variety would include these traits, but rather specific varieties that would be grown under contract with food manufacturers.

“There are many wheat farmers and members of their families in Kansas who have celiac disease,” Harries says in a statement. “It is ironic and unfortunate that they raise wheat for a living but can’t eat wheat foods. Most consumers would prefer not to give up wheat foods in their diet. Developing wheat varieties that are consumable by people with celiac disease would make their lives much easier.” 

The basics of celiac disease

The medical community learns more about celiac disease every day.

When people with celiac eat gluten, their body mounts an immune response, treating the gluten like a toxic attacker. This immune response attacks the villi in the small intestine, those little projections that line the intestine and absorb nutrients.

When they’re damaged, the body can’t absorb nutrients and they are passed through. This can show up as mild bloating or gas, or as extreme as chronic diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Other important facts to know include:

Learn more at celiac.org.