Trehalose Dimycolate Enhances Resistance to Infection in Neutropenic Animals.

摘要

Bacterial infections are lethal complications of neutropenia, and antibiotics alone are inadequate therapy for these infections. Irradiated mice become severely neutropenic and remain susceptible to infection for 2 to 3 weeks, depending on the dose and quality of radiation. Some bacterial cell wall derivatives stimulate nonspecific host defense mechanisms against a variety of microbes which might cause postirradiation infection. In this study we determined if the cell wall glycolipid trehalose dimycolate (TDM), derived from Mycobacterium phlei, or a synthetic preparation of TDM was able to (i) enhance survival in mice when given before or after lethal doses of Cobalt-60 radiation and (ii) increase nonspecific resistance to postirradiation infection. Keywords: Reprints, Trehalose, Dimycolate, Resistance to infection, Neutropenic animals, Cell wall glycolipid, Immunomodulator, Radiation-induced hematopoietic syndrome. (jg)