AUTHOR=To Kimberly , Cao Ruoqiong , Yegiazaryan Aram , Owens James , Nguyen Timothy , Sasaninia Kayvan , Vaughn Charles , Singh Mohkam , Truong Edward , Medina Albert , Avitia Edith , Villegas Jose , Pham Christal , Sathananthan Airani , Venketaraman Vishwanath 

TITLE=Effects of Oral Liposomal Glutathione in Altering the Immune Responses Against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the Mycobacterium bovis BCG Strain in Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2021.657775

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2021.657775

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified type 2 diabetes (T2DM) as a neglected, important, and re-emerging risk factor for tuberculosis (TB), especially in low and middle-income countries where TB is endemic. In this clinical trial study, oral liposomal glutathione supplementation (L-GSH) or placebo was given to individuals with T2DM to investigate the therapeutic effects of L-GSH supplementation. We report that L-GSH supplementation for 3 months in people with T2DM was able to reduce levels of oxidative stress in all blood components by increasing levels of glutathione (GSH). Additionally, L-GSH supplementation significantly reduced the burden of intracellular mycobacteria within in vitro granulomas generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of T2DM subjects. L-GSH supplementation also increased the levels of Th1-associated cytokines, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2 and decreased levels of IL-6. In conclusion, oral L-GSH supplementation in individuals with T2DM for three months was able to increase levels of GSH, reduce oxidative stress, and increase the levels of Th1-associated cytokines IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2, resulting in an improved ability to control the in vitro mycobacterial infection.