MALP-2, a synthetic lipopeptide is a Toll-like receptor 4 and -6 ligand and agonist. MALP-2 stimulates immune cells at different sites. Local stimulation in the lungs has beneficial effects in experimental pneumococci infection. The presented study investigated local effects of MALP-2 in the mycobacterial infection of lungs. MALP-2 was applied prior, simultaneously or after the pulmonary infection with Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Colony forming units were determined in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung homogenate. Numbers of Mycobacterium bovis BCG colony forming units were found to be reduced in two compartments, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung homogenate after treatment with MALP-2 simultaneously to the infection for up to eight weeks. Reduction of the bacterial load in both compartments was also found up to two weeks after local treatment before and after the infection. Thus, macrophage activating lipopeptide-2 enhances the host defence in the lung in acute and long term bacterial infections.

MALP-2 是一种合成脂肽，是一种 Toll 样受体 4 和 -6 配体和激动剂。MALP-2 刺激不同部位的免疫细胞。肺部局部刺激对实验性肺炎球菌感染具有有益作用。所提出的研究调查了 MALP-2 在肺部分枝杆菌感染中的局部作用。在牛分枝杆菌 BCG肺部感染之前、同时或之后应用 MALP-2 。在支气管肺泡灌洗液和肺匀浆中确定菌落形成单位。数牛分枝杆菌BCG发现在用 MALP-2 同时处理感染长达 8 周后，两个隔室、支气管肺泡灌洗液和肺匀浆中的菌落形成单位减少。在感染前后的局部治疗后长达两周，还发现两个隔室中的细菌负荷减少。因此，巨噬细胞激活 lipopeptide-2 增强了肺部在急性和长期细菌感染中的宿主防御。