Zonulin, a newly discovered modulator of intestinal permeability, and its expression in coeliac disease

We identified zonulin, a novel human protein analogue to the Vibrio cholera e derived Zonula occludens toxin, which induces tight junction disassembly and a subsequent increase in intestinal permeability in nonhuman primate in testinal epithelia. Zonulin expression was raised in intestinal tissues dur ing the acute phase of coeliac disease, a clinical condition in which tight junctions are opened and permeability is increased.