title: Azithromycin induces anti-viral effects in cultured bronchial epithelial cells from COPD patients.
abstract: Rhinovirus infection is a major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations and may contribute to the development into severe stages of COPD. The macrolide antibiotic azithromycin may exert anti-viral actions and has been reported to reduce exacerbations in COPD. However, little is known about its anti-viral actions on bronchial epithelial cells at clinically relevant concentrations. Primary bronchial epithelial cells from COPD donors and healthy individuals were treated continuously with azithromycin starting 24 h before infection with rhinovirus RV16. Expression of interferons, RIG-I like helicases, pro-inflammatory cytokines and viral load were analysed. Azithromycin transiently increased expression of IFNβ and IFNλ1 and RIG-I like helicases in un-infected COPD cells. Further, azithromycin augmented RV16-induced expression of interferons and RIG-I like helicases in COPD cells but not in healthy epithelial cells. Azithromycin also decreased viral load. However, it only modestly altered RV16-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Adding budesonide did not reduce interferon-inducing effects of azithromycin. Possibly by inducing expression of RIG-I like helicases, azithromycin increased rhinovirus-induced expression of interferons in COPD but not in healthy bronchial epithelium. These effects would reduce bronchial viral load, supporting azithromycin's emerging role in prevention of exacerbations of COPD.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Immunopharmacology, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mandy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Menzel
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Immunopharmacology, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akbarshahi
authors.affiliation: Lung medicine and Allergology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bjermer
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Immunopharmacology, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Uller
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001980:Bronchi / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D012229:Rhinovirus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016899:Interferon-beta; D017963:Azithromycin