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1991
Journal Article
Titel
Combined liposomal interferon gamma and pentostam therapy of visceral Leishmania donovani infection
Abstract
Recent studies of our group presented evidence that the immunotherapy of murine visceral leishmaniasis with murine recombinant interferon gamma encapsulated in multilamellar vesicles reduced the parasite burden in spleen and liver. Mice treated with interferon gamma in liposomes had significantly fewer parasites than untreated mice, but the parasite burden could not be completely reduced. Therefore we performed experiments using a combination of interferon gamma and sodium stibogluconate (PentostamhighR) encapsulated in liposomes. The predilection of Leishmania species for macrophages renders this parasite and ideal target for liposome-encapsulated chemotherapeutic drugs like PentostamhighR or macrophage activators like interferon gamma. Liposomes, used here are preferentially taken up by spleen and liver macrophages when injected intravenously. The therapy with sodium stibogluconate and interferon gamma in liposomes resulted in a complete reduction of parasite burden in both organs, l iver and spleen. The chemotherapeutic in combination with the immuntherapeutic drug showed an increased effect compared to the influence of the single drugs. It is shown that this treatment of visceral leishmaniasis using combined liposomal drugs is much more effective than any single drug therapy.
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