Therapeutic potential of human neutrophil peptide 1 against experimental tuberculosis

The therapeutic efficacy of human neutrophil peptide 1 (HNP-1) against experimental tuberculosis in mice on the basis of numbers of CFU has been examined. Mice infected with 1.5 x 10(4) CFU of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H(37)Rv and treated with different doses of HNP-1 injected subcutaneously exhibited significant clearance of bacilli from lungs, livers, and spleens. There were time- and dose-dependent decreases in the bacillary load in lungs, livers, and spleens of the HNP-1-treated animals compared to that in controls (untreated animals). These observations strongly suggest the therapeutic activity of HNP-1 against tuberculosis.