O potencial da elafina no tratamento de doenças inflamatórias intestinais

Abstract

Elafin is a protein found in various mucous secretions, that plays an important defense role against typical coeliac disease’s inflammatory reactions. Coeliac disease is an autoimmune systemic disorder, stimulated by gluten ingestion, characterized by chronic inflammation of the small intestine mucosa, leading to intestinal villous atrophy, which results in malabsorption of nutrients and clinical manifestations that cause discomfort to individuals. Diarrhea, constipation, weight loss, anemia, abdominal distension, colic are the most common symptoms, among others. Currently, treatment alternatives involve withdrawal of foods containing gluten from the diet, which impacts not only on the diet of individuals, but also on the family and social relationships of diagnosed patients, changing the daily routine and leisure activities. It is estimated that there are approximately 2 million celiacs in Brazil, and the vast majority are still undiagnosed. The present study is a bibliographical review, making a temporal cut that contemplates mainly the last decade, with the objective of reviewing a possibility of treatment using elafin, which protects the intestinal mucosa, reducing the damage resulting from inflammatory reactions and improving the quality of life of people living with coeliac disease.