I think you asked elsewhere whether gluten sensitivity is associated with Hashimoto's thyroid disease... yes, it is associated... and they are looking at whether it may actually be causitive.
http://jccglutenfree.googlepages.com...thyroiddisease
Celiac Disease is the only autoimmune disease with known cause (gluten) and cure (gluten free diet). There is some speculation that gluten sensitivity (and casein sensitivity) may be a trigger for developing other autoimmune disease, including Hashimoto's thyroid disease, T1DM, rheumatoid arthritis, MS and more. There are instances of people with other autoimmune diseases improving on a gluten free diet (sometimes casein free and other free diet), but it very much depends on the disease process.. and whether the damage caused is permanent or not.
This hypothesis is far from proven which could take decades, but yes... they are definitely looking at intestinal permeability and food sensitivity in regard to the role it might play in other autoimmune disease.
http://jccglutenfree.googlepages.com/zonulin
http://jccglutenfree.googlepages.com...oimmunedisease