Effect of the enzyme AN-PEP on gluten degradation in gluten-sensitive individuals

In this study, we investigate the effect of the enzyme AN-PEP on gluten digestion in gluten-sensitive individuals in cooperation with DSM (Netherlands).

In addition to coeliac disease and wheat allergy there are cases of responses to gluten in which neither allergic nor autoimmune mechanisms can be identified.These are generally defined as non-celiac gluten sensitivity or more simply, gluten sensitivity. Symptoms of gluten sensitivity resemble those of coeliac disease and include bloating, abdominal discomfort or pain, constipation and diarrhoea, as well as extraintestinal symptoms including muscular disturbances and bone or joint pain.

DSM is investigating AN-PEP as a digestive aid to help degrading gluten. AN-PEP is a prolyl endopeptidase, which, in contrast to other prolyl endopeptidases, is effective in cleaving gluten under gastric conditions. It has been shown to effectively degrade gluten epitopes in vitro as well as in vivo when administered together with a gluten-containing liquid meal. In the current study, the efficacy of AN-PEP administered during consumption of a complex meal containing gluten is tested in gluten-sensitive individuals.

Publications

König, J. Holster, S. Bruins, M. J. Brummer, R.J, (2017) Randomized clinical trial: Effective gluten degradation by Aspergillus niger-derived enzyme in a complex meal setting. Sci Rep. 2017 Oct 12;7(1):13100.