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At 02:15 PM 11/28/96 -0500, John Hepler <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>       My interest is the relation of gluten and casein intolerance to
>asthma and (IgE) allergy. [snipped...]

I forwarded John's article to Dr. Reichelt, and here is the reply:


Date: Fri, 29 Nov 1996 08:01:17 +0100 (MET)
From: [log in to unmask] (Kalle Reichelt)
Subject: Food intolerance

Hi.
Your questions are good and to the point but hard to answer. The
relationship of food proteins, peptides to asthma have not been
sufficiently examined at all. Dr Jan B Boler (synthesized TRH with Dr
Folkers and Schally), ran preliminary data on asthma and peptides and found
very large increases, but had to seek other employment because his meager
grants ran out.

Nor do I think that IgA relationships in Asthma have been sufficiently
looked into. IgA is a reasonably good measure of protein transport through
the mucosa also when no coeliac disease (Biopsy: Nil. Endomycium Ab: Nil)
is absent. Because we all take up proteins intact (1) any increase in this
uptake can cause problems. The more so if the break down of the proteins
fragments = peptides formed are not completely broken down.

Now a series of immune modulating peptides can be formed from casein (2) as
well as peptidase inhibitors (3-6) further aggravating break down. In
addition the exorphins like casomorphin would have profound impact on
immune competent cells because of the opioid receptors on the cells
involved in the immune reactions. The opioids bind to opioid receptors on
eg. lymphocytes and phagocytic antigen presenting cells, etc. Far too little
is as yet established. However, as all new fields of investigation the
established specialists usually have little sense of looking at new angles
to the problem. This is universal and has always been so.

That such mechanisms may possibly be important is seen from a recent paper
in The Lancet on the relationship of IgA antibodies to gluten and gliadin
and neurological disease (7). Hope this preliminary answer to your difficult
questions is a start at last.

Ref:
1: Husby S et al (1985) Passage of undegraded dietary antigen into the
blood of healthy adults. Scand J Immunol 22: 83-92.
2: Migliore-samour D and Jollet P (1988) casein, a prohormone with
immunostimulating role in newborns? Exprientia 44: 88-93.
3: Kohimura M et al (1990) Inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme by
synthetic fragments of human K-casein. J Agricult Biol Chem 54: 835-836.
4: Kohimura M et al (1990b) Inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme by
synthetic peptide fragments of various beta-caseins. j Agricult Biol Chgem
54: 1101-1102.
5: Muruyama S and Suzuki H (1982) A peptide inhibitor of angiotenisn
-1-convertingenzyme in the tryptic hydrolysate of casein. J Agricult Biol
Chem 46: 1393-1394.
6: Asano M et al (1991) Inhibition of pro|lyl-endopeptidase by synthetic
peptide fragments of beta-casein. J Agricult Biol Chem. 55: 825-828.
7: Hadjivassiliou M et al (1996) Does cryptic gluten sensitivity play a part
in neurological illness? The Lancet 347: 369-371.

There are sveral textbooks now on Neuroimmunology which shows the mututal
effects of these systems on eachother.

All the best                                    TINY

K. Reichelt
Pediatric Research Institute
N-0027 Oslo, Norway
Tel: +47 22 86 90 45
Fax: +47 22 86 91 17
E-mail: [log in to unmask]