Inhibitory effect of macrolides on interleukin-8 secretion from cultured human nasal epithelial cells

• Published in: The Laryngoscope Vol. 107; no. 12 Pt 1; p. 1661
• Main Authors: Suzuki, H, Shimomura, A, Ikeda, K, Furukawa, M, Oshima, T, Takasaka, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 1997
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Cell Culture Techniques; Chronic Disease; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Endoscopy; Epithelial Cells - drug effects; Female; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Interleukin-8 - metabolism; Macrolides; Male; Middle Aged; Nasal Mucosa - drug effects; Nasal Mucosa - metabolism; Nasal Polyps - complications; Nasal Polyps - surgery; Sinusitis - complications; Sinusitis - drug therapy
• ISSN: 0023-852X; 1531-4995
• DOI: 10.1097/00005537-199712000-00016

The mechanism of macrolide therapy in chronic sinusitis patients is unclear. The authors studied the effect of macrolides on interleukin (IL)-8 secretion from cultured human nasal epithelial cells. Epithelial cells harvested from the nasal polyps of patients with chronic sinusitis were primary-cultured, and secreted IL-8 in culture media was measured by enzyme immunoassay. The cells secreted considerable amounts of IL-8 constitutively and in response to lipopolysaccharide. The secretion was significantly inhibited by 10(-5) M of erythromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, and josamycin. 10(-6) M erythromycin still showed the inhibitory effect, whereas the same concentration of josamycin did not. These results indicate that macrolide antibiotics may act as an immunomodulator to reduce IL-8 in inflammatory sites and, at least partially, account for the clinically discrepant effects between 14- and 16-membered ring macrolides in long-term low-dose therapy for chronic sinusitis.