Inhibition of the cellular metabolism of Caco-2 cells by prolamin peptides from cereals toxic for coeliacs.

Peptic-tryptic (PT) digests of prolamins derived from several cereals were tested on differentiated Caco-2 cells to study the effect on cellular metabolism, particularly on DNA, RNA, protein and glycoprotein synthesis. Cell viability was evaluated after treatment with the same cereals. Whereas PT digests from bovine serum albumin and both durum wheat types (diploid and tetraploid) did not exert any effect, bread wheat, oats, barley and rye exerted an inhibitory effect close to 80% for DNA and RNA synthesis and close to 60% for (glyco)protein synthesis. Cell viability evaluated by MTT tests did not show any differences between treated and untreated cells. These observations, and previous results, suggest that, whereas prolamin-derived peptides from bread wheat, barley, rye and oats did not cause an immediate cytotoxic effect, they, were however, responsible for cell damage impairing cell metabolism.