Transgenic tomato expressing interleukin-12 has a therapeutic effect in a murine model of progressive pulmonary tuberculosis

Host control of mycobacterial infection, in both human and mouse models, has been shown to be associated with the production of interferon (IFN)-γ by CD4⁺ T cells. Interleukin (IL)-12 is known to be a crucial cytokine in the differentiation of IFN-γ-producing T helper 1 (Th1) cells. To determine whether continuous administration of IL-12 expressed in transgenic tomato (TT-IL-12) has therapeutic efficacy in a murine model of pulmonary tuberculosis, BALB/c mice were infected with either Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv strain or a multi-drug-resistant clinical isolate (MDR) and treated with a daily oral dose of TT-IL12 crude fruit extracts. For the early H37Rv infection, TT-IL-12 administration was started 1 day before infection and continued for 60 days. In the H37Rv or MDR late infection, treatment was started 60 days after infection and continued for another 60 days. In both phases of infection, TT-IL-12 administration resulted in a reduction of bacterial loads and tissue damage compared with wild-type tomato (non-TT). The Th1 response was increased and the Th2 response was reduced. In the late infection, a long-term treatment with TT-IL-12 was necessary. We demonstrate that TT-IL-12 increases resistance to infection and reduces lung tissue damage during early and late drug-sensitive and drug-resistant mycobacterial infection.