Treatment of Klebsiella pneumoniae septicemia in normal and leukopenic mice by liposome-encapsulated muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamide.

The effect of free muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamide (MTPPE) and liposome-encapsulated MTPPE (LE-MTPPE) on Klebsiella pneumoniae septicemia resulting from intraperitoneal bacterial inoculation was investigated in mice. When administering a single prophylactic dose at 24 h before bacterial inoculation, the percentage survival was 55% (MTPPE) or 40% (LE-MTPPE), whereas untreated control mice died. Only repeated prophylactic treatment with LE-MTPPE could further increase survival up to 85%.