[Effects of immunomodulator leukinferon on the course of experimental tuberculosis]

An experiment was conducted on 60 CBA mice intravenously inoculated with cultured Mycobacteria tuberculosis (MBT), Erdmann strain, in a dose of 0.025 mg. The specific features of tissue, cellular, and biochemical reactions were studied in the lung, liver, and spleen when leukinferon (LF) was included into tuberculosis treatment regimen. LF was shown to have a positive impact on the development of reparative reactions during tuberculous inflammation by reducing the time of abacillation and recovering the structure of diseased organs. By month 3 of follow-up, MBT were not detected in mice receiving antibacterial agents (ABA) and LF, while typical and changed forms of LF were identified in the cytoplasm of alveolar macrophages in mice treated with ABA alone. A specific feature of an inflammatory reaction as a significant proliferation of lymphocytes and macrophages with their ample infiltration of target organs was noted in animals receiving LF. This was followed by the activated production of alpha- and gamma-interferons and by the mobilization of an enzymatic link of anti-oxidant defense under chronic oxidative stress, which led to a reduction of resolution of inflammatory areas and to an increase in survival of animals which had not been given ABA, but treated with LF alone.