L-arginine and vitamin D: novel adjunctive immunotherapies in tuberculosis

Anna Ralph, P KELLY, Nicholas Anstey

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Worsening drug resistance and the need for prolonged treatment in tuberculosis (TB) require innovative solutions including investigation of inexpensive, safe adjunctive immunotherapies. L-arginine, the precursor of nitric oxide, and vitamin D recently have elucidated mycobactericidal and immunomodulatory actions against TB and are deficient in people with TB. We review the potential of these agents as adjunctive TB immunotherapies and explore how comparative clinical trials might help clarify their relative importance in the human TB immune response. By enhancing mycobacterial killing in macrophages, L-arginine and vitamin D might have the potential to enable shorter duration of treatment, reduced infectivity and improved response in drug-resistant TB. � 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)336-344
    Number of pages9
    JournalTrends in Microbiology
    Volume16
    Issue number7
    Publication statusPublished - 2008

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