Effects of Low-Dose and Long-Term Treatment with Erythromycin on Interleukin-17 and Interleukin-23 in Peripheral Blood and Induced Sputum in Patients with Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

• Published in: Mediators of inflammation Vol. 2016; no. 2016; pp. 1 - 11
• Main Authors: Zhong, Xiao-Ning, He, Zhiyi, Zhang, Jianquan, Huang, Huijuan, Tan, Caimei, Bai, Jing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Publishing Corporation 01.01.2016; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Aged; Chronic obstructive lung disease; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Clinical Study; Dosage and administration; Emphysema; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Enzymes; Erythromycin; Erythromycin - therapeutic use; Humans; Interleukin-17 - blood; Interleukin-17 - metabolism; Interleukin-23 - blood; Interleukin-23 - metabolism; Interleukins; Middle Aged; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - blood; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - drug therapy; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - metabolism; Rodents; Sputum - chemistry; Studies; Walking - physiology
• ISSN: 0962-9351; 1466-1861
• DOI: 10.1155/2016/4173962

Objective. To study the effects of low-dose and long-term treatment with erythromycin on IL-17 and IL-23, in peripheral blood and induced sputum, in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods. Patients were randomly divided into placebo-treated group, group A (12 months of additive treatment with erythromycin, N = 18 ), and group B (6 months of additive treatment with erythromycin followed by 6 months of follow-up, N = 18 ). Inflammatory cells in induced sputum, pulmonary function, and the 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) were analyzed. Concentrations of IL-17 and IL-23 in peripheral blood and sputum were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results. After treatment, sputum and peripheral blood concentrations of IL-17 and IL-23 significantly decreased in groups A and B compared with placebo-treated group. There were no significant differences after erythromycin withdrawal at months 9 and 12 in group B compared with placebo-treated group. An increase in 6MWD was observed after treatment. Conclusions. Erythromycin was beneficial and reduced airway inflammation in COPD patients. Underlying mechanisms may involve inhibition of IL-17 and IL-23 mediated airway inflammation. COPD patients treated with erythromycin for 6 months experienced improved exercise capacity. Finally, treatment for 12 months may be more effective than treatment for 6 months.