Immunomodulator tuftsin increases the susceptibility of Cryptococcus neoformans to liposomal amphotericin B in immunocompetent BALB/c mice.

The co-administration of immunomodulators and antibiotics has been proved very successful for treatment of opportunistic infectious diseases. In the present study, we evaluated the combination of liposomal amphotericin B (lip-Amp B) and immunomodulator tuftsin to cure Cryptococcus neoformans infection in BALB/c mice. Mice infected with C. neoformans were treated with Amp B deoxycholate and tuftsin free or tuftsin-loaded Amp B liposomes. The results of the present study demonstrated higher efficacy of tuftsin-loaded Amp B liposomes against experimental murine cryptococcosis, in terms of enhanced survival rate and reduced fungal burden in organs (lungs and brain) of the treated mice. Interestingly, pre-treatment of mice with liposomal tuftsin before challenging them with the C. neoformans infection resulted in 100% survival of the treated animals followed by treatment with lip-Amp B. Immunomodulator-based therapy seems likely to be more beneficial for treatment of fungal infectious diseases.