Studying immunotherapeutic properties of the immunomodulator KIM-M2 in guinea pigs infected with nontuberculous mycobacteria

The purpose of research is to study the immunotherapeutic properties of the anti-tuberculosis drug KIM-M2 in animals infected with different types of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). An experiment was carried out on 40 guinea pigs, divided into 8 groups of 5 animals each. The 1st group consisted of intact (negative control), the 2nd group - infected with M. bovis, strain 14 (positive control), individuals of the 3rd-4th groups were injected subcutaneously with M. phlei at a dose of 5 mg, 5-6th groups - M. scrofulaceum and 7-8th groups - M. smegmatis in the same doses. After 14 days, the animals of the 4th, 6th and 8th groups were given a subcutaneous injection of a specific immunomodulator KIM-M2 at a dose of 500 μg/ml of protein. As a result of the study, it was found that guinea pigs not immunized with IMT-M2 developed an allergic reaction to the introduction of PPD-tuberculin for mammals on the 21st day after the inoculation with NTM, which was most intense with the introduction of M. smegmatis. On the 7th day after the administration of the immunomodulator, the delayed skin reaction was neutralized in 93.3 % of the animals. Control over the infectious status of guinea pigs was also carried out using the reaction of indirect immunofluorescence (IRIF), which showed a higher sensitivity compared to the allergic method. The results of the RNIF also testified to the accelerated elimination of mycobacteria from the body of immunized animals. The obtained results indicate the prospects of using the specific drug KIM-M2 as an immunotherapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of mycobacteriosis.