Ets1 gene (Ets Proto-Oncogene1) expression changes in patients with celiac disease under a gluten-free diet

Background. One of the effective genes in the pathogenesis of the celiac disease is the Ets1 gene, which encodes the transcription factor Ets1 and is highly conserved during evolution. The Ets1 gene inhibits the differentiation of T helper 17 (Th17) cells and the production of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) by these cells and decreased expression of the Ets1 gene can lead to autoimmune disorders. The aim of this study is to evaluate the changes in Ets1 gene expression in the blood samples of patients with celiac disease compared with the control group.

Methods. Blood samples were collected from twenty patients with celiac disease under a gluten-free diet and also from twenty healthy people. After RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis, a specific primer pair of the Ets1 gene was designed and its expression changes were examined by real-time PCR.

Results. The expression of the Ets1 gene in patients with celiac disease on a gluten-free diet did not show a significant difference compared with healthy individuals (P-value= 0.54)..

Conclusion. Failure to observe a significant difference between the patient and the control group can be due to the effect of the duration of the gluten-free diet and also the inadvertent entry of gluten from hidden sources into the diet of patients under treatment.

Practical Implications. According to the results observed in this study, it is possible that if the gluten-free diet is followed more strictly and over a longer period of time by patients with celiac disease, the expression of the Ets1 gene will proceed as we expected. This issue needs to be evaluated in future studies with a larger community.