Administration of proteolytic enzymes bromelain and trypsin diminish the number of CD4+ cells and the interferon-gamma response in Peyer's patches and spleen in endotoxemic balb/c mice.

Recent publications revealed that bromelain exerts a marked effect on T-cell response by inhibiting T-cell signal transduction. These experimental studies may help to explain former clinical investigations showing that Phlogenzym (PHL), a preparation consisting of the proteases bromelain and trypsin and the antioxidant rutosid, ameliorate certain diseases with an underlying inflammatory process. In this study, we showed that orally administered PHL significantly reduced lymphocyte subpopulations in Peyer's patches (PPs) of healthy and endotoxemic mice. Similarly, the number of splenic lymphocytes in endotoxin-boostered mice was significantly lowered by PHL. The effect of PHL was more pronounced on T cells than on B cells leading especially to a diminution of CD4+ cells. Moreover, PHL pretreatment decreased IFN-gamma mRNA in PPs and spleen of endotoxemic mice. These results reveal that PHL may ameliorate inflammatory process by reducing the number of CD4+ cells and by diminishing INF-gamma mRNA levels.