Cell-mediated immunity to a synthetic gliadin peptide resembling a sequence from adenovirus 12.

Cell-mediated immunity to a synthetic peptide, which has a 12-residue sequence from A-gliadin analogous to part of an early-region protein (Elb) from adenovirus 12, was investigated in patients with coeliac disease, healthy subjects, and disease controls by means of an indirect leucocyte-migration-inhibition assay. Patients with coeliac disease being treated with a gluten-free diet showed a significantly greater response than healthy subjects (p less than 0.001) or patients with inflammatory bowel disease. This cellular immune response was dependent on antigen concentration and was not present in untreated coeliac patients.