Utility of bacteriophage D29 in treatment of guinea pigs with resistant tuberculosis
AIM: To explore the effect of bacteriophage D29 on resistant tuberculosis in vivo and to evaluate the possibility of using it as an anti-tuberculosis agent. METHODS: Guinea pigs infected with resistant M. tuberculosis were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group, rifampin treated group, co-chemotherapy group and phage treated group. Experiments were conducted, in which either saline water or rifampin or four drugs (including rifampin, ethambutol, pyrazinamide and levofloxacin) were administrated through gastro-esophagus, or phage through nasa by the interval of 3 times per 1 week. After 4-and 7-week therapy, pathological degree, lung or liver or spleen weight index and quantitative cultures were assessed. The lungs, livers, and spleens from guinea pigs were used to assess the histo-pathologic changes induced by different therapy at each sacrifice time. The concentration of IL-2, IL-4 and IFN-gamma was measured by enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay. RESULTS: When guinea pigs with resistant tuberculosis were treated with phage D29 for 4 weeks, the pathological degree and the quantitative cultures of M. tuberculosis in spleen were less than those in control group. Mainly fibrosis and little necrosis were observed in the lungs of phage treated group and co-chemotherapy group, but most hyperplasia and langhans cells in the lungs and caseous necrosis in the spleen were seen in control group. The cytokine IL-2 secretion capability of phage treated group was statistically different compared with that in control group. Other groups had higher cytokine, but with no statistically significant difference. CONCLUSION: In vivo, phage D29 results in a reduction in organ pathological degree and quantitative cultures of mycobacteria. The application of phage D29 may be a novel and hopeful strategy to combat tuberculosis.
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NSTL
万方数据
维普
