Liposomal amphotericin B and amphotericin B-deoxycholate show different immunoregulatory effects on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Conventional preparations of amphotericin B (AmB) at established therapeuti c doses are known to increase nonspecific immune responses. It remains to b e established whether higher doses of the less toxic liposomal preparation of AmB maintains a beneficial effect on the immune response to fungal infec tions. Examination of the effect of treatment of human peripheral blood mon onuclear cells from healthy subjects with various doses of both liposomal A mB (L-AmB) and deoxycholate AmB (d-AmB) on proliferation, cell viability, a nd percentage of apoptosis demonstrated that, although both L-AmB and d-AmB at low doses significantly increased nonspecific proliferative responses, L-AmB, but not d-AmB, treatment maintained this beneficial effect at higher doses. High doses of d-AmB, but not L-AmB, resulted in significantly decre ased cell viability and increased apoptosis, This study provides further ev idence in healthy human subjects for choosing L-AmB over conventional prepa rations in the clinical treatment of fungal infections requiring systemic h igh-dose treatment with AmB.