Abstract
Gliadin peptides (GP) stimulate the incorporation of 3H thymidine in peripheral blood lymphocytes (FBL) in vitro. GP have opiate like activity in different in vitro systems. This activity was inhibited by naloxone and for this reason these endorphin-like compounds were named exorphins. In the present study we examined the mitogenic effect of two purified gliadin peptides: peptide 3142 and - 3146 in four groups of subjects. 1)-normal controls (NO, n= 23; 2) - Gastrointestinal investigation (GII), n=19; 3) - CD patients consuming normal gluten containing diet (CD ND), n=25; 4) -CD patients consuming gluten free diet (CD GFD), n=35. These peptides induced 3H thymidine uptake in PEL in a dose dependent way in a proportion of the samples tested. The effect of the active (-) stereoisomer of the opiate antagonist naloxone was tested in a selected group of PBL responding to the peptides 3142 and 3146. (-) Naloxone had a dose response inhibitory effect on the mitogenic activity of the gliadin peptides, whereas (+)naloxone had no effect. The conclusion of these results is that GP in susceptible subjects behave as opiates being in line with the recent finding that the amino acid seguence of the peptides used herein is similar to amino acids 12-17 of beta endorphin. The interaction between gliadin peptides and opioids may therefore play an important role in CD.
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Ashkenazi, A., Idar, D. & Simantov, R. EFFECT OF NALOXONE ON THE MITOGENIC ACTIVITY OF PURE GLIADIN DERIVED PEPTIDES. Pediatr Res 20, 695 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198607000-00057
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198607000-00057