title: The effect of azithromycin and clarithromycin on ex vivo interleukin-8 (IL-8) release from whole blood and IL-8 production by human alveolar macrophages.
abstract: We investigated the effects of azithromycin and clarithromycin, two antibiotics that possess a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity (including antimycobacterial activity), on interleukin-8 (IL-8) release from human whole blood leucocytes and lung macrophages. Ex vivo stimulation of leukocytes with either of the antibiotics (0.04-40 mg/L) significantly increased IL-8 secretion. Incubation of alveolar macrophages with different concentrations of azithromycin or clarithromycin modified IL-8 production: it increased at a drug concentration of 4 mg/L and decreased at concentration of 400 mg/L. Our findings suggest that azithromycin and clarithromycin may alter IL-8 production, thus enhancing the clinical effectiveness of these antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Health Center at Tyler, Tyler, 11937 US Highway 271, TX 75708-3154, USA. anna.kurdowska@uthct.edu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kurdowska
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Noble
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Griffith
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D016209:Interleukin-8; D017963:Azithromycin; D017291:Clarithromycin