title: Erythromycin suppresses interleukin 6 expression by human bronchial epithelial cells: a potential mechanism of its anti-inflammatory action.
abstract: We evaluated the effects of several antibiotics on IL-6 expression by human bronchial epithelial cells, potent sources of this proinflammatory cytokine important in airway inflammation. Among those tested, erythromycin (EM) and clarithromycin (CAM) uniquely suppressed mRNA levels as well as the release of IL-6 at the therapeutic and non-cytotoxic concentration (10(-6)M). Our findings suggested that these macrolide antibiotics had suppressive effect on cytokine expression in human cells, and this new mode of action may have relevance to their clinical effectiveness in airway inflammatory diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine & Physical Therapy, University of Tokyo, School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takizawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Desaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohtoshi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kikutani
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okazaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shoji
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hiramatsu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001980:Bronchi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007700:Kinetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004917:Erythromycin; D003907:Dexamethasone