Roxithromycin inhibits the effector phase of delayed-type hypersensitivity.
In the present paper, the effect of roxithromycin on delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) was evaluated. Roxithromycin had no effect on sheep red blood cells (SRBC)-induced food pad swelling when orally administered in induction phase, whereas it suppressed the SRBC-induced DTH reaction and 2,4,6-Trinitrochlorobenzene (TNCB)-induced contact hypersensitivity (CHS) significantly when administered to mice in effector phase. For the sustained-CHS model induced by multi-challenge with TNCB, roxithromycin also inhibited the ear swelling when exposed to mice in three effector phases while showed no inhibitory effect on CHS by continuous treatment. Administration of this antibiotic in effector phase also down-regulated the MMP-9 activity and the higher in vitro survival of splenocytes from SRBC-challenged mice. Furthermore, this drug inhibited the gene expression of T-helper type 1 (Th1) cytokines such as IL-2 and IFN-gamma of lymph node cells from mice immuned by TNCB or of Con A-stimulated spleen cells. In addition, roxithromycin administered in vivo decreased the concanavalin A (Con A)-induced splenocyte proliferation without affecting the cell survival in vitro. These results suggest that roxithromycin might alleviate DTH reaction at least by suppressing the function and survival of effector T cells.
Liu
Kang
K
Department of Pharmacology for Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, 1 Shen Nong Road, Nanjing 210038, China. liukangcpu@yahoo.com.cn
Xu
Qiang
Q
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D004431:Ear, External; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006614:Hindlimb; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010853:Picryl Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015575:Roxithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012756:Sheep
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D015575:Roxithromycin; D010853:Picryl Chloride