Key Message
Tuberculosis is the most deadly infectious disease worldwide, above e.g. HIV/AIDS. Emerging multi-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains are challenging existing antibiotic treatment regiments and infected patients have to be treated for at least 6 months using a combination of a minimum of 4 different anti-infective substances. We developed a new formulation of functionalized liposomal nanocarriers, which can be loaded with approved antibiotic drugs. This way, the antibiotics can be delivered directly into primary human myeloid cells such as alveolar macrophages, which are the natural reservoir of mycobacteria. By deploying fucosylated nanocarriers targeting myeloid cells via C-type lectin receptors, selected subcellular compartments are addressed. With this approach, we were able to treat mycobacteria-infected macrophages more efficiently than by using the soluble antibiotics.
Translational perspective
The delivery of antibiotic substances directly into infected cells can critically increase the locally effective dose within the cell. Thus, antibiotic resistance can be broken while systemic toxic side effects are minimized for patients.