nartograstim and Klebsiella-Infections

A modified recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF), KW-2228, has some excellent properties such as high specific activity in stimulating granulocyte colony-formation in vitro, great biological stability in plasma, good pharmacokinetic profile and high potency in granulopoiesis in normal mice in vivo. Recently, the application of G-CSF against infectious diseases has been considered, and some animal experiments have been carried out to support its clinical applications. In this paper, we investigated protective effects of KW-2228 against systemic infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae in mice with leukopenia induced by the administration of cyclophosphamide. KW-2228 (1 microgram/mouse) was administered (s.c.) once a day for 4 days following cyclophosphamide administration, then mice were challenged with K. pneumoniae (i.p.) 4 hours after the last administration of KW-2228. An antibiotic was administered (s.c., p.o.) 2 hours after the bacterial challenge. Combination effects of KW-2228 with cefazoline, cefmetazole, ceftazidime or cefaclor were evaluated in the systemic infection with K. pneumoniae. Each combination therapy using KW-2228 with each of the cephems exhibited an excellent protective effect in comparison to the therapy with a cephem alone. These results show the possibility that KW-2228 could be of use in treating obstinate infections not successfully treated with an antimicrobial agent alone.

Topics: Animals; Cephalosporins; Cyclophosphamide; Drug Therapy, Combination; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; Klebsiella Infections; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Neutropenia; Recombinant Proteins