Polyene and cytokine treatment of experimental aspergillosis

• Published in: FEMS immunology and medical microbiology 2003-12, Vol.39 (3), p.221-227
• Main Authors: Sionov, Edward, Segal, Esther
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: amphotericin B; Amphotericin B - pharmacology; Animals; Antifungal Agents - pharmacology; Aspergillosis; Aspergillosis - drug therapy; Aspergillosis - immunology; Aspergillus fumigatus; Aspergillus fumigatus - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Cyclophosphamide - pharmacology; Drug Combinations; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Granulocyte colony stimulating factor; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor - pharmacology; Immunocompromised Host; Immunosuppressive Agents - pharmacology; Kidney - microbiology; Lung - microbiology; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Microbiology; Nystatin - pharmacology; nystatin-IL; Phosphatidylcholines - pharmacology; Phosphatidylglycerols - pharmacology; Polyene; Survival Analysis
• ISSN: 0928-8244; 1574-695X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0928-8244(03)00230-X

The aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy of amphotericin B (AMB), AMB-intralipid admixture (AMB-IL) or nystatin-IL formulation (Ny-IL) in combination with granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in treatment of experimental murine aspergillosis. ICR mice were immunosuppressed by cyclophosphamide and 3 days later inoculated intravenously (i.v.) with Aspergillus fumigatus. Treatment was initiated 2 h later and administered for 5 consecutive days (polyenes, i.v.; G-CSF, intraperitoneally). Combination therapy, particularly G-CSF with AMB or AMB-IL, significantly increased the survival rate (up to 87.3%) and prolonged the mean survival time (MST) (up to 28.8 days) in comparison to untreated controls (0% survival, MST 6.7 days) and to treatment with polyenes alone (up to 51.5% survival, MST 18.4 days). These data indicate that combination therapy could be beneficial for management of disseminated aspergillosis in humans.