Cytotoxic effects of wheat gliadin-derived peptides.

The peptic-tryptic-cotazym (PTC) digest, obtained from bread wheat gliadin by simulating in vivo protein digestion, was more active than the PTC-digest of durum wheat gliadin in reversibly inhibiting HEp-2 cell proliferation and in increasing cellular acid phosphatase. Colony-forming ability of the cells was not affected by treatment with both bread or durum wheat gliadin peptides. The peptic-tryptic (PT) digest of bread wheat gliadin also showed agglutinating activity of HEp-2 cells.