Enzymes to Improve Immune System Health – Protease and Cancer

Protease, the enzyme that digests proteins, has a very different and powerful function when taken on an empty stomach.

It is a tremendous all natural blood enhancer, able to break down protein invaders in the blood supply, so that
your natural immune system can destroy them.

Parasites, fungal forms, and bacteria are protein. Viruses are nucleic acids covered by a protein film. Since protease
can break down undigested protein, cellular debris, and toxins in the blood, it frees up the immune system for the
more important work of destroying the unnatural invaders like bacteria.

Important Facts

• Cancer cells are more sensitive to enzymes than normal cells.
• Enzymes dissolve the fibrous coating on cancer cells, allowing the immune system to work.
• Enzymes can diminish the ability for cancer cells to attach to healthy organs or tissue.

If you are interested in learning more about the use of protease (and other enzymes, herbs, and vitamins) in helping
the body fight cancer successfully, you may also want to read the following articles:

Dr. Leia on Protease Inhibitors and Protease Enzymes

Read About Enzymes for Various Ailments

More About PureZyme – Component Benefits

Protease

It is known that proteases are able to hydrolyze proteins.  Under normal conditions, proteins in their native
configuration are less susceptive to proteolytic attack and thus do not act as substrates (targets) for oral proteases.
However, proteinacious compounds in the blood stream, if denatured and or modified from their native state, may be
subjected to proteolytic activity. This explains the selective proteolytic attack of the proteases, thus resulting
in PureZyme’s ability to scavenge only “Foreign” protenacious  matter and debris, while leaving the
body’s natural endogenous protein molecules intact.

The PureZyme formulation contains a mixture of highly active proteases with wide range of pH stability, activity,
and ability to cleave several types of peptide bonds. In fact, the proteases have endopeptidase as well as exopeptidase
(amino and carboxypeptidase) activities. When taken on an empty stomach, oral proteases pass readily into the blood  stream
where they bind to Alpha 2-Macroglobulin. The binding to alpha 2-macroglobulin “Hides” the exogenous protease
from the immune system, yet allowing it to maintain its hydrolytic activity and act upon substrates small enough
to come in contact with the protease/Alpha 2-Macroglobulin complex. In fact, contrary to some belief, Apha 2-Macroglobulin
is not a protease inhibitor per se. Some proteases when bound to Alpha 2-Macroglobulin maintain their catalytic activities,
while other proteases do not.

This duality in effect is due to the size of the protease and or its substrates: large substrates may not be able
to reach the active site of the trapped protease whereas smaller substrates may easily reach within the complex and
be acted upon by the protease.

The benefits of oral proteases may include:

• enhanced digestion of proteins in the GI tract;
• removal of circulating immune complexes before they cause auto immune disorder
• modulation of cytokines;
• enhanced blood rheology;
• fibrinolytic and thrombolytic activity without the bleeding side-effects of other currently used thrombolytics;
• enhanced healing of wounds;
• scavenging of circulating oxidized proteins, thus minimizing free radicals cascading effect;

Calcium Citrate

Buffers the Protease, making it more bio available.

Blood Toxins

PureZyme contains proprietary, highly concentrated proteolytic enzymes from Aspergillus oryzae.  Proteolytic
enzyme supplements taken by mouth (on an empty stomach) have been shown to be absorbed in substantial quantities
into the blood, to bind to serum proteins, especially Alpha 2-Macroglobulin (a2M), and to be delivered to sites of
immune function.  One of the best-established functions served by Aspergillus protease is in the maintenance
of normal blood flow by breaking down blood clots (fibrinolysis). Years of clinical experience have shown that toxins
are also removed from the blood, perhaps as a result of an overall improvement in blood flow.

Weakened Immunity

There is a change in the conformation of a2M when protease is bound to it, which is evident, as an increase in mobility
in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, referred to as a shift from the “Slow” to the “Fast” form.
Accompanying this shift is a dramatic increase in the tendency of activated macrophages, fibroblasts and hepatocytes
to bind the a2M complex.  Moreover, a2M complexes also exhibit an increased binding of several very important
cytokines (Hormone like molecules which have a powerful influence on immune cells) such as transforming growth Factor-Beta
(TGF-b) and tumor necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-a).  By modulating, and potentially delivering such cytokines to
sites of immune system activity, the a2M/protease complexes, which result from oral protease supplementation, have
a powerful immune-strengthening effect.

Hormonal Imbalances

Years of clinical experience have led to the conclusion that hormonal imbalances may be helped by oral protease
supplementation.  For instance, in cases of gastrin deficiency, the secretion of acid and pepsin may be impaired
resulting in poor protein digestion and other digestive disorders.  Oral protease supplementation will ensure
protein digestion and proper nutrition. There is a well-recognized linkage between enzyme secretion/regulation, the
neuroendocrine, and the immune systems.  It may be that correcting hormonal imbalances result in strengthening
and balancing the immune system.

Impaired Kidney Function

Glomerulonephritis: In this disease there is a build up of protein in the basement membrane of the glomeruli of
the kidneys.  Fluids must pass through this basement membrane in the initial phase of the filtration of the
blood by the kidneys.  Recent research using an animal model of this disease “Lends further support to
the concept that enzymes capable of degrading immune complexes in situ can ameliorate Gomerulonephritis.”

Slow Tissue Repair

Tissue repair, or wound healing, is usually divided into three phases: Inflammatory, which is characterized by platelet
accumulation, coagulation and leukocyte migration. Proliferate, which is characterized by Re-Epithelialization, angiogenesis,
fibroplasia and wound contraction. Remodeling, which takes place over a period of months, in which the dermis responds
to injury with the production of collagen and matrix proteins and then returns to its Pre-Injury structure.  Research
has shown that these processes are regulated by various cytokines.  As discussed above, oral protease supplementation
leads to the formation of activated a2M, which significantly modulates tissue cytokines.

Heavy Metal Toxins

Heavy metals, such as lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) exert their poisoning effect by binding to ionizable or sulfhydryl
groups of proteins, including vital enzymes.  Once they bind to an essential functional protein, such as an
enzyme, they denature and or inhibit it. This interaction of heavy metals to proteins can lead to degenerating diseases,
nerve damage or even death.

It should be noted that protease when taken on an empty stomach is readily taken up into the mucosa cells of the
intestine and passed into blood circulation.  Clinical observations have noted that upon high intake of proteases,
heavy metal concentrations have been significantly decreased in the blood.  This may be due to the binding of
these toxic substances with the supplemental protease enzymes, facilitating their removal through the kidneys or
intestine, thus avoiding a life-threatening situation of poisoning.  The result may spare other vital proteins,
including metabolic enzymes, in the body.  

Scavenger of Oxidated and Damaged Protein

Oxidative reactions generate free radical damage to various molecules including proteins.  Free radicals have
been implicated in accelerating the aging process as well as several diseases, including diabetes, arteriosclerosis,
and neurodegenerative conditions.  Under proper conditions of nutrition and adequate activity of antioxidant
enzymes, the free radical damage is minimized. However, in many instances, the body is overwhelmed by the load of
Pro-Oxidants (free radical generating molecules), resulting in oxidative stress conditions.

One consequence of oxidative stress is the formation of oxidized proteins. Oxidized proteins often lose their function
(become inactive), and undergo unfolding or conformational change of their structure which enhances their susceptibility
to proteolysis. For instance, oxidized proteins in blood or extra cellular fluid, include hormones, immune system
proteins, transport proteins, and other proteins needed at various cellular locations.

As these oxidized proteins lose their biological function, they may not carry out the cellular tasks and biochemical
reactions they are meant to perform.  For instance, an oxidized hormone may not be able to attach to its receptor
on the cell surface; an oxidized enzyme may not perform its activity; an oxidized antibody molecule will not bind
to its antigen.

Oxidative reactions occur in a cascade manner.  Therefore, oxidation of one protein may lead to further oxidation
reactions within the same molecule and or other molecules, which amplify the damaging effect. Thus, any oxidation
of a protein if not corrected may result in impairment of biochemical functions of vital importance to the cellular
viability.  In order to avoid the cascade effect, oxidized proteins may be reduced by an antioxidant or removed
by proteolysis. Several studies have indicated that oral proteases bound to the a2-macroglobulin hydrolyze immune
complexes, proteinaceous debris, damaged proteins, and acute phase plasma proteins in the blood stream.  It
is suggested that oral proteases may help hydrolyze and remove extra cellular proteins damaged by free radicals which
are especially susceptible to proteolysis, as mentioned above.

Bone Density and Osteoporosis

PureZyme, as a formulation of proteases that have a wider range of pH, is suggested as a digestive aid. One of its
many attributes is its assistance to this problem.

Loss of bone density is characterized by progressive breaking of the bone tissue which releases calcium, and also
by an inefficient rate of synthesis on the part of the osteoblast cells. The cells responsible for the degradation
of the bone are the osteoclasts. The rate of synthesis by the osteoblasts and the rate of breakdown by the osteoclasts
are influenced by good nutrition. This includes adequate supplies of calcium and its uptake, hormone levels, digestive
disorders, and other factors. A program to maintain optimum bone density should provide amino acids, absorbable calcium,
and mucopolysaccharides. That is what PureZyme provides and enhances.

The beneficial effect of PureZyme in helping alleviate bone loss is attributed to:

• enhanced digestion of proteins to release amino acids (amino acids have been shown to enhance the uptake and
  absorption of calcium);
• increased synthesis of proteins because PureZyme helps supply the essential amino acids in the diet;
• complementary digestion of proteins in people with deficient protein digestion capabilities;
• adequate nutrition to provide biosynthetic nutrients for the osteoblasts;
• the presence of calcium citrate that has been shown to enhance the absorption of calcium;
• enhanced bio availability of other essential minerals such as copper, magnesium, zinc and manganese.

As nutrition, i.e., digestion and uptake of nutrients, is improved, the body can synthesize the hormones needed
for increased anabolism of the skeletal system. The inclusion of calcium in the form of calcium citrate, along with
the proteases, makes PureZyme a good product to provide amino acids and facilitate absorption of calcium.

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