Fig 4. Ineffective detoxification by digestive enzyme supplements.

33-mer was incubated for 60 minutes with 1 capsule equivalent of digestive enzyme supplements, or 1/10 capsule equivalent of AN-PEP as a control. The peptide reaction products were deamidated using tissue transglutaminase, purified by C18 solid phase extraction and tested for T-cell activation. As a negative control, T-cells were incubated without the 33-mer peptide or digestive enzyme supplements (blanc). As a positive control, T-cells were incubated with 33-mer peptide. The enzyme preparations, when tested separately, were not toxic for the T-cells (not shown). T-cells stimulated with control peptide (LQLQPFPQPELPYPQPELPYPQPELPYPQPQPF) incorporated 40,000 cpm. T-cell proliferation ([³H]thymidine incorporation in cpm) is shown as a function of the input of 33-mer and its degradation products. Error bars represent standard deviation of triplicate experiments. The result shown is representative for two independent experiments.