# Fullerene Gallium Phosphonate Shows Antimycobacterial Effect Against Mycobacterium avium

## TL;DR

A new compound called Fullerene Gallium Phosphonate (FGP) shows promise in fighting Mycobacterium avium infections by reducing bacterial load and inflammation.

## Contribution

The study introduces FGP as a novel compound with dual antimycobacterial and antioxidant effects against Mycobacterium avium.

## Key findings

- FGP reduced M. avium colony-forming units by nearly 3-fold compared to a 2-fold decrease with FDSP.
- FGP significantly decreased bacterial load in infected macrophages at 1 and 10 µg/mL.
- FGP lowered oxidative stress and inflammatory markers like IL-6 and TNF-α.

## Abstract

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infections present significant therapeutic challenges due to their inherent antibiotic resistance, demanding innovative treatment approaches. This study investigated the antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of a novel compound, Fullerene Gallium Phosphonate (FGP), and compared its effects against a previously tested similar compound, Fullerene Disodium Phosphonate (FDSP). Results of experiments using MAC cultures and infected THP-1 macrophages treated with varying FGP and FDSP concentrations (1, 10, 100 µg/mL) revealed that FGP demonstrated greater efficacy than FDSP in reducing M. avium colony-forming units (CFU), achieving a nearly 3-fold reduction by day 8, compared to a 2-fold decrease with FDSP. In infected macrophages, FGP significantly decreased bacterial load at 1 and 10 µg/mL (p < 0.01). FGP also lowered oxidative stress, reflected by a significant reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels on day 4 (p < 0.05) and decreased IL-6 (2-fold) and TNF-α levels (3-fold) by day 8, indicating both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. However, FGP paradoxically increased MAC burden at its highest concentration and showed no significant difference in efficacy of different concentrations. These findings suggest that FGP may serve as a promising candidate for antimycobacterial therapy with dual antibacterial and antioxidant effects. Further research is crucial to fully elucidate its mechanism of action and find the optimal therapeutic window.