Cellular therapy in tuberculosis

Int J Infect Dis. 2015 Mar:32:32-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2015.01.016.

Abstract

Cellular therapy now offer promise of potential adjunct therapeutic options for treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). We review here the role of Mesenchymal stromal cells, (MSCs), as well as other immune effector cells in the therapy of infectious diseases with a focus on TB. MSCs represent a population of tissue-resident non-hematopoietic adult progenitor cells which home into injured tissues increase the proliferative potential of broncho-alveolar stem cells and restore lung epithelium. MSCs have been shown to be immune-modulatory and anti-inflammatory mediated via cell-cell contacts as well as soluble factors. We discuss the functional profile of MSCs and their potential use for adjunct cellular therapy of multi-drug resistant TB, with the aim of limiting tissue damage, and to convert unproductive inflammatory responses into effective anti-pathogen directed immune responses. Adjunct cellular therapy could potentially offer salvage therapy options for patients with drug-resistant TB, increase clinically relevant anti-M.tuberculosis directed immune responses and possibly shorten the duration of anti-TB therapy.

Keywords: HDT; M.tuberculosis; MDR-TB; Mesenchymal stromal cells; T-cells; Tuberculosis; cancer; host directed therapy; inflammation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cell Transplantation
  • Humans
  • Infections / therapy
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / immunology
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / immunology
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / therapy*