T. Kohyama et al., Fourteen-member macrolides inhibit interleukin-8 release by human eosinophils from atopic donors, ANTIM AG CH, 43(4), 1999, pp. 907-911
Macrolide antibiotics such as erythromycin have been reported to be effecti
ve for asthma, However, the precise mechanisms of this effect remain unclea
r, We studied the effect of erythromycin, clarithromycin, josamycin, and ot
her antibiotics on the release by eosinophils of interleukin-8 (IL-8), a po
tent chemokine for inflammatory cells, including eosinophils themselves. Hu
man eosinophils were isolated from atopic patients, and the effects of the
drugs on IL-8 release were evaluated, Only 14-member macrolides (erythromyc
in and clarithromycin) showed a concentration-dependent suppressive effect
on IL-8 release (control, 100%; erythromycin at 1 mu g/ml, 67.82% +/- 3.45%
[P < 0.01]; clarithromycin at 5 mu g/ml, 56.81% +/- 9.61% [P < 0.01]), The
effect was found at therapeutic concentrations and appeared to occur at th
e posttranscriprtional level. In contrast, a 16-member macrolide (josamycin
) had no significant effect, We suggest that 14-member macrolides inhibit I
L-8 release by eosinophils and may thereby prevent the autocrine cycle nece
ssary for the recruitment of these cells into the airways.