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Dear Listmates,

This article was posted on the Paracelsus list, of which I am a member
(http://www.HealthWWWeb.com ;  http://www.integrativemedicalarts.com).  It
is technical in nature, but the conclusions are stated clearly.  I am
interested in the comments Listmates more medically-savvy than myself.  :)

Kristina Brandabur
Chicago, IL


Biochim Biophys Acta 1999 Jan 6;1453(1):152-60
In vitro cytotoxic effect of wheat gliadin-derived peptides on the Caco-2
intestinal cell line is associated with intracellular oxidative imbalance:
implications for coeliac disease.
Rivabene R, Mancini E, De Vincenzi M
Laboratory of Metabolism and Pathological Biochemistry, Istituto
Superiore di Sanita, Rome, Italy. [log in to unmask]
Coeliac disease (CD) is an inflammatory disorder of the upper small
intestine in which gluten acts as an essential factor in its pathogenesis.
Although it is generally accepted that cereal protein activation of the
immune system is involved in CD progression, a non-immunomediated cytotoxic
activity of gliadin-derived peptides on the jejunal/duodenal tract cannot
be excluded. In this work, considering that (a) little has been reported
about the intracellular metabolic events associated with gliadin toxicity,
and (b) an important role for free radicals in a number of gastrointestinal
disease has been demonstrated, we investigated the in vitro effects of
gliadin-derived peptides on redox metabolism of Caco-2 intestinal cells
during a kinetic study in which cells were exposed to peptic-tryptic digest
of bread wheat up to 48 h. We found that the antiproliferative effects
displayed by gliadin exposure was associated with intracellular oxidative
imbalance, characterised by an increased presence of lipid peroxides, an
augmented oxidised (GSSG)/reduced (GSH) glutathione ratio and a loss in
protein-bound sulfhydryl groups.  Significant structural perturbations of
the cell plasma membrane were also detected. Additional experiments
performed by using the specific GSH-depleting agent buthionine sulfoximine
provide evidence that the extent of gliadin-induced cell growth arrest
critically depends upon the 'basal' redox profile of the enterocytes. On
the whole, these findings seem to suggest that, besides the adoption of a
strictly gluten-free diet, the possibility for an adjuvant therapy with
antioxidants may be considered for CD patients.
PMID: 9989255, UI: 99143800

Kristina Brandabur
[log in to unmask]

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