On November 17, in New York, researchers discovered that a promising cancer therapy exhibits remarkable potency against tuberculosis (TB), one of the world's most devastating infectious diseases. Scientists at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) in the US observed that this therapy significantly reduces the growth of TB, even in cases of drug-resistant bacteria.
The study, reported in the journal Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, utilized novel cellular models featuring TB-infected human cells, accelerating the screening of potential TB drugs. The innovative therapy combines two molecules, one of which is already FDA-approved for cancer treatment, while the other is undergoing Phase 1/2 clinical trials for cancer.
These compounds facilitate the initiation of normal cell death processes in targeted areas, whether in cancerous cells or cells infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb), the bacterium causing TB. Larry Schlesinger, Professor, President, and CEO at Texas Biomed, highlighted the potential impact of host-directed therapies, similar to the role immunotherapy played in enhancing the immune system's ability to combat tumors.
TB is responsible for over 1.6 million deaths annually worldwide, primarily infecting the lungs. Current treatment involves months of antibiotics, but drug resistance is escalating, posing additional challenges. M.tb, the TB-causing bacterium, obstructs the normal cell death process called apoptosis, allowing it to grow within immune cells in the lungs.
The new study demonstrated that inhibiting two key proteins, MCL-1 and BCL-2, prevents M.tb from hijacking the apoptosis process, enabling macrophages to eliminate the bacterium. Testing MCL-1 and BCL-2 inhibitors individually, together, and in combination with TB antibiotics revealed that the combined use of both inhibitors was more effective at limiting TB growth than using either one alone. Moreover, when combined with antibiotics, this dual inhibitor approach proved significantly more effective than using inhibitors or antibiotics independently.
