Erythromycin enhances CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T-cell responses in a rat model of smoke-induced lung inflammation.
Heavy smoking can induce airway inflammation and emphysema. Macrolides can modulate inflammation and effector T-cell response in the lungs. However, there is no information on whether erythromycin can modulate regulatory T-cell (Treg) response. This study is aimed at examining the impact of erythromycin on Treg response in the lungs in a rat model of smoking-induced emphysema. Male Wistar rats were exposed to normal air or cigarette smoking daily for 12 weeks and treated by gavage with 100 mg/kg of erythromycin or saline daily beginning at the forth week for nine weeks. The lung inflammation and the numbers of inflammatory infiltrates in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were characterized. The frequency, the number of Tregs, and the levels of Foxp3 expression in the lungs and IL-8, IL-35, and TNF-α in BALF were determined by flow cytometry, RT-PCR and ELISA, respectively. Treatment with erythromycin reduced smoking-induced inflammatory infiltrates, the levels of IL-8 and TNF-α in the BALF and lung damages but increased the numbers of CD4+Foxp3+ Tregs and the levels of Foxp3 transcription in the lungs, accompanied by increased levels of IL-35 in the BALF of rats. Our novel data indicated that erythromycin enhanced Treg responses, associated with the inhibition of smoking-induced inflammation in the lungs of rats.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530000, China.
Jing
J
Bai
Shi-Lin
SL
Qiu
Xiao-Ning
XN
Zhong
Qiu-Ping
QP
Huang
Zhi-Yi
ZY
He
Jian-Quan
JQ
Zhang
Guang-Nan
GN
Liu
Mei-Hua
MH
Li
Jing-Min
JM
Deng
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D004917:Erythromycin