Therapeutic potential of 16α-Bromoepiandrosterone as adjuvant for the treatment of tuberculosis infection

FLORENCIA QUIROGA; DENISE GIANNONE; MARIA BELEN VECCHIONE

Virtual

Congreso; Reunión Conjunta de Sociedades de Biociencias 2021; 2021

Sociedad Argentina de Inmunologia

Purpose: Despite being preventable and curable, tuberculosis (TB) is one of the principal causes of death worldwide. Macrophages play a key role in controlling Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection. In search of an adjuvant for TB treatment, we aimed to study a synthetic derivate from DHEA, 16𝛼-Br-epiandrosterone (HE2000) as a modulator of bacterial growth and Mtb-induced immune response in human macrophages.Methods: Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) test was performed by growing Mtb H37Rv in the presence of HE2000. Bacterial intracellular growth was evaluated by incubating Mtb infected THP-1 macrophages at different time points in the presence of HE2000. After 21 days of culture, colony-forming units (CFU) were quantified. Phagocytic activity was assessed by treating infected macrophages with HE2000 and stained by the Ziehl Neelsen technique. Nonparametric tests were used and a p