Zonulin, a haptoglobin protein that has been associated with increased permeability in the gastrointestinal tract, may play an important role in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and diseases related to gluten sensitivity, according to a study that compared blood levels between patients with these and other GI diseases and healthy volunteers.
“We were intrigued to find that blood levels of zonulin were almost as high in patients with NCGS [non–celiac disease