The inhibitory effects by combined doses of DDS and several immunostimulants on the growth of leprosy bacilli inoculated into footpads of hybrid nude mice, Jcl:AF-nu.

Abstract

The inhibitory effects by the combined doses of bacteriostatic DDS and several immunostimulants on the growth of leprosy bacilli (LB) inoculated into the footpads of nude mice were examined, using a strain of hybrid nude mice named Jcl:AF-nu, which is resistible to infections more than strain BALB/c-nu. The results found were: 1. LB could proliferate up to 10(9) level in the footpads of this strain of hybrid nude mice. 2. The combined dose of muramyl dipeptide (MDP) or a water-soluble lipoidal amine, CP-46665 and DDS mixed with chow in the content ratio of 0.005% completely inhibited the growth of LB. Whereas, the growth inhibition by DDS alone was only partial. 3. A derivative of MDP, muroctasin could partially inhibit the growth of LB without combined dose of DDS. 4. The combined dose of an antitumor beta-1, 3-glucan named ATSO could not enhance the partial growth inhibition due to the dose of DDS through 0.005%-DDS chow. Based on these results, the possibility of Jcl:AF-nu mice as a favorable animal model for examining the synergic inhibitory effect on the growth of LB due to the combined dose of an antileprous chemotherapeutic and an immunostimulant was discussed.