A patient with pulmonary tuberculosis caused by bacteria resistant to various anti-microbial agents was treated with adoptively transferred autologous peripheral blood leucocytes (PBL) sensitized with killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis organisms in vitro. The 32-year-old man was admitted to our hospital from National Sanitarium Okinawa Hospital with weight loss, high fever, and rapid aggravation on chest X-ray. Patient's PBL obtained by leukapheresis and separated with Ficoll-Hypaque solution were cultured with killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria of 0.4μg per ml at 1×106 cells per ml for 7 days in media containing 0.5U recombinant 1L-2 per ml. After incubation, PBL were layered and centrifuged on Ficoll-Hypaque solution and washed three times with saline. PBL (1-3×108) were combined and concentrated for infusion in 20 to 30ml saline. After injection, patient displayed fever and transitory drop of Pao2.
Although the patient did not have an improved on chest X-ray, his fever was alleviated, weight was increased, accelerated ESR was slightly improved, and the number of organisms in sputum (Number of Gaffky) temporarily decreased.
Adoptive immunotherapy using the autologous PBL which were sensitized with killed bacteria may be an effective anti-tuberculous immunotherapy.
