Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors were trea
ted ex vivo with the proteolytic enzyme bromelain and studied by flow
cytometry. Bromelain-treated lymphocytes exhibited 60-90% reduced cell
surface staining for CD44 and CD62-L molecules. While the staining fo
r molecules CD16, CD56 and CD49d was unaffected, a moderate increase (
10-40%) in expression of the beta(2)-integrins CD11a-c was seen. This
selective modulation of cell adhesion molecules (CAM) was seen on T ce
lls and NK cells, as well. The selective modulation of CAM may help ex
plain some of the clinical effects observed after bromelain treatment
in patients suffering from chronic inflammatory disease, HIV and cance
r.