Antimycobacterial and immunomodulatory activities of sorafenib in a preclinical mouse model of TB infection through CD4+CD25low and CD8+CD25low effector T cells

Tuberculosis is a communicable disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). It is one of the major global public health problems that leads to a high morbidity and mortality rate. Drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is another significant and persistent public health concern....

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Main Authors: Raju S. Rajmani, Avadhesha Surolia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Immunology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1591026/full
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author Raju S. Rajmani
Avadhesha Surolia
Avadhesha Surolia
author_facet Raju S. Rajmani
Avadhesha Surolia
Avadhesha Surolia
author_sort Raju S. Rajmani
collection DOAJ
description Tuberculosis is a communicable disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). It is one of the major global public health problems that leads to a high morbidity and mortality rate. Drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is another significant and persistent public health concern. The development of effective TB vaccines and treatments requires a better understanding of the intricate interactions between M. tuberculosis and host immunity. We previously reported that sorafenib (SRB) reduces bacterial growth by allosterically inhibiting ornithine acetyltransferase (MtArgJ), an essential enzyme in the arginine biosynthesis pathway of Mtb. Here, we report on the antimicrobial activity of sorafenib in preclinical mouse models of tuberculosis. Sorafenib is a potent drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating several types of cancer. The current study is focused on the immunomodulation that SRB induces in the host, specifically the immunological response that is triggered to combat the pathogenicity and survival of the bacteria.Here, we show that SRB significantly sterilizes the bacterial burden in chronic infection animal models of tuberculosis by reducing the number of Mtb-susceptible alveolar macrophages (AMs), and that SRB is more effective when combined with rifampicin (RIF). In the current study, we documented a new immune modulatory characteristic of sorafenib that, upon SRB treatment, markedly increased effector T cells (Teff - CD4+CD25low and CD8+CD25low) activity and decreased regulatory T cells, the immunosuppressive T cells (Treg- CD4+CD25high and CD8+CD25high) function. In conclusion, our studies revealed that SRB is beneficial for both boosting an efficient T cell response and lowering the tubercular load.
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spelling doaj-art-41a934b7620d457b9a7dcf8395bd35862025-08-20T03:25:59ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242025-07-011610.3389/fimmu.2025.15910261591026Antimycobacterial and immunomodulatory activities of sorafenib in a preclinical mouse model of TB infection through CD4+CD25low and CD8+CD25low effector T cellsRaju S. Rajmani0Avadhesha Surolia1Avadhesha Surolia2Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, IndiaMolecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, IndiaDr. Reddy’s Institute of Life Sciences, Hyderabad, IndiaTuberculosis is a communicable disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). It is one of the major global public health problems that leads to a high morbidity and mortality rate. Drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is another significant and persistent public health concern. The development of effective TB vaccines and treatments requires a better understanding of the intricate interactions between M. tuberculosis and host immunity. We previously reported that sorafenib (SRB) reduces bacterial growth by allosterically inhibiting ornithine acetyltransferase (MtArgJ), an essential enzyme in the arginine biosynthesis pathway of Mtb. Here, we report on the antimicrobial activity of sorafenib in preclinical mouse models of tuberculosis. Sorafenib is a potent drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating several types of cancer. The current study is focused on the immunomodulation that SRB induces in the host, specifically the immunological response that is triggered to combat the pathogenicity and survival of the bacteria.Here, we show that SRB significantly sterilizes the bacterial burden in chronic infection animal models of tuberculosis by reducing the number of Mtb-susceptible alveolar macrophages (AMs), and that SRB is more effective when combined with rifampicin (RIF). In the current study, we documented a new immune modulatory characteristic of sorafenib that, upon SRB treatment, markedly increased effector T cells (Teff - CD4+CD25low and CD8+CD25low) activity and decreased regulatory T cells, the immunosuppressive T cells (Treg- CD4+CD25high and CD8+CD25high) function. In conclusion, our studies revealed that SRB is beneficial for both boosting an efficient T cell response and lowering the tubercular load.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1591026/fullMycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)sorafenib (SRB)immunomodulationalveolar macrophages (AMs)T cells
spellingShingle Raju S. Rajmani
Avadhesha Surolia
Avadhesha Surolia
Antimycobacterial and immunomodulatory activities of sorafenib in a preclinical mouse model of TB infection through CD4+CD25low and CD8+CD25low effector T cells
Frontiers in Immunology
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)
sorafenib (SRB)
immunomodulation
alveolar macrophages (AMs)
T cells
title Antimycobacterial and immunomodulatory activities of sorafenib in a preclinical mouse model of TB infection through CD4+CD25low and CD8+CD25low effector T cells
title_full Antimycobacterial and immunomodulatory activities of sorafenib in a preclinical mouse model of TB infection through CD4+CD25low and CD8+CD25low effector T cells
title_fullStr Antimycobacterial and immunomodulatory activities of sorafenib in a preclinical mouse model of TB infection through CD4+CD25low and CD8+CD25low effector T cells
title_full_unstemmed Antimycobacterial and immunomodulatory activities of sorafenib in a preclinical mouse model of TB infection through CD4+CD25low and CD8+CD25low effector T cells
title_short Antimycobacterial and immunomodulatory activities of sorafenib in a preclinical mouse model of TB infection through CD4+CD25low and CD8+CD25low effector T cells
title_sort antimycobacterial and immunomodulatory activities of sorafenib in a preclinical mouse model of tb infection through cd4 cd25low and cd8 cd25low effector t cells
topic Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)
sorafenib (SRB)
immunomodulation
alveolar macrophages (AMs)
T cells
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1591026/full
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