Immunotherapy for Pulmonary TB
Immunotherapy for Pulmonary TB
Although it seems that AMPs and their inducers could be used as a treatment against TB and that these options could help to eradicate this disease, currently this is quite far off. Even though there is greater knowledge of the relationship between TB and AMPs, there are many gaps that need to be filled before applying clinical approaches. For instance, it is still unknown which peptides could be used for each stage of the disease, since some peptides have anti-inflammatory effects whereas others have proinflammatory effects. The induction of inflammation during progressive TB would accelerate the pneumonic process in the patient. Therefore, the design of precise AMPs for specific stages of TB must take place. Furthermore, it is known that M. tuberculosis develops resistance to antibiotics under evolutive pressure; AMPs would not be an exception and this would mainly be seen in developing countries where a medical prescription is not necessary to have access to antibiotics. In summary, basic investigation and new health policies are essential before AMPs are used as immunotherapy.
Potential Disadvantages of Immunotherapy Using AMPs for TB
Although it seems that AMPs and their inducers could be used as a treatment against TB and that these options could help to eradicate this disease, currently this is quite far off. Even though there is greater knowledge of the relationship between TB and AMPs, there are many gaps that need to be filled before applying clinical approaches. For instance, it is still unknown which peptides could be used for each stage of the disease, since some peptides have anti-inflammatory effects whereas others have proinflammatory effects. The induction of inflammation during progressive TB would accelerate the pneumonic process in the patient. Therefore, the design of precise AMPs for specific stages of TB must take place. Furthermore, it is known that M. tuberculosis develops resistance to antibiotics under evolutive pressure; AMPs would not be an exception and this would mainly be seen in developing countries where a medical prescription is not necessary to have access to antibiotics. In summary, basic investigation and new health policies are essential before AMPs are used as immunotherapy.