Erythromycin modulates eosinophil chemotactic cytokine production by humanlung fibroblasts in vitro

Recent studies suggest that erythromycin can suppress the production of som e cytokines and may be an effective treatment for asthma. Eosinophil chemot actic cytokines have been suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis of as thma by the recruitment of eosinophils. We hypothesized that erythromycin m odulates eosinophil chemotactic cytokine production. To test the hypothesis , we evaluated the potential of erythromycin to modulate the release of eos inophil chemoattractants from the human lung fibroblast cell line HFL-1. HF L-1 released eotaxin, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and regulated and normal T-cell expressed and presumably secreted (RANTES) in response to interleukin-1 beta or tumor necrosis factor alpha. Erythromycin attenuated the release of these cytokines and eosinophil chemotactic activ ity by the HFL-1. The suppressive effect on eotaxin was the most marked of these cytokines. Erythromycin therapy also suppressed eotaxin mRNA signific antly. These results suggest a mechanism that may account for the apparent beneficial action of macrolide antibiotics in the treatment of allergic air way disorders.