title: Azithromycin inhibits double-stranded RNA-induced thymic stromal lymphopoietin release from human airway epithelial cells.
abstract: Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is elevated in asthma and triggers dendritic cell-mediated activation of TH2 inflammatory responses. Viral stimuli, a major cause of asthma exacerbations, have been shown to induce overexpression of TSLP in asthmatic epithelium. Azithromycin has various anti-microbial and antiinflammatory effects. However, the effect of azithromycin on the production of TSLP has not been studied. Here we explored the effects of azithromycin on viral surrogate (dsRNA)-induced TSLP in normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells. NHBE were stimulated with poly (I:C) in the presence azithromycin. The effects of azithromycin on dsRNA-induced inflammatory responses in NHBE cells were analyzed. We demonstrated that azithromycin inhibited the production and mRNA expression of TSLP in NHBE cells. Azithromycin also inhibited the nuclear factor-KB luciferase activity induced by poly (I:C), and it prevented dsRNA-induced loss of the NF-kappaB repressor protein IkappaBalpha. These results suggest that azithromycin can be useful to treat asthma exacerbations due to the inhibition of TSLP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, the First Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Canhong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, the First Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, the First Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jianan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000187:drug effects*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014162:Transfection; D000094632:Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D016207:Cytokines; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D016209:Interleukin-8; D016328:NF-kappa B; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D016899:Interferon-beta; D017963:Azithromycin; D000094632:Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin