Prophylaxis with the immunomodulator PGG glucan enhances antibiotic efficacy in rats infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
The emergence of multiple antibiotic-resistant microorganisms has led to a search for alternatives to traditional therapeutic regimens. PGG glucan is a soluble beta-glucan immunomodulator that selectively enhances the microbicidal activities of neutrophils and macrophages without stimulating proinflammatory cytokine production. In the present studies, we examined the ability of PGG glucan to act in concert with antibiotics to decrease mortality in a rat model of intraabdominal sepsis using antibiotic-resistant bacteria as infectious inocula. Results of these studies demonstrated that prophylaxis with PGG glucan in combination with antibiotics provided enhanced protection against lethal challenge with Esherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus as compared with the use of antibiotics alone.
Tzianabos
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Channing Laboratory Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Cisneros
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RL
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D005936:Glucans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D047071:beta-Glucans
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005936:Glucans; D047071:beta-Glucans; C069894:poly-1-6-glucopyranosyl-1-3-glucopyranose glucan