Doxycycline suppresses Chlamydia pneumoniae induced interferon-gamma responses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in children with allergic asthma. Issue 6 (June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smith-Norowitz, Tamar A.; Weaver, Diana; Norowitz, Yitzchok M.; Hammerschlag, Margaret R.; Joks, Rauno; Durkin, Helen G.; Kohlhoff, Stephan
• Is Part Of: Journal of infection and chemotherapy. Volume 24:Issue 6(2018:Jun.)
• Page Start: 470
• Page End: 475
• Publication Date: 2018-06
• Subjects: C. pneumoniae -- IFN-γ -- IL-4 -- Asthma; Ig immunoglobulin -- IFN-γ Interferon gamma -- IL Interleukin -- MIC minimum inhibitory concentration -- CDC centers for disease control -- TNF tumor necrosis factor -- MIP macrophage inflammatory protein -- NFκβ nuclear factor κβ -- LPS lipopolysaccharide -- LTA lipoteichoic acid; Chemotherapy -- Periodicals; Infection -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Chemotherapy -- Periodicals; 615.5805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jiac.2018.02.004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1341-321X

Abstract

Abstract: Persistent respiratory infections caused by Chlamydia pneumoniae have been implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases (e.g. asthma). Antibiotics are used to treat C. pneumoniae respiratory infections; however, the use of antibiotics as anti-inflammatory agents in treatment of asthma remains controversial. The current study investigated whether ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, or doxycycline can suppress C. pneumoniae -induced production of immunoglobulin (Ig) E or cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained from asthmatic children. Apart from blood, nasopharyngeal swab specimens were also collected to test for the presence of C. pneumoniae and/or M. pneumoniae (qPCR). PBMC (1.5 x 10 6 ) from asthmatic pediatric patients (N = 18) were infected or mock infected for 1 h ± C. pneumoniae AR-39 at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) = 0.1, and cultured ± ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, or doxycycline (0.1 or 1.0 μg/mLmL) for either 48 h (cytokines) or 10 days (IgE). Interleukin (IL)-4, interferon (IFN)-γ and IgE levels in supernatants were measured (ELISA). When PBMC were infected with C. pneumoniae, IL-4 and IFNγ production increased (p = 0.06 and 0.03, respectively); IgE levels were low. The now-elevated levels of IL-4 didn't decrease significantly after addition of ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, or doxycycline. However, infected PBMC IFNγ formation decreased significantly when 0.1 μg/mL doxycycline was employed ( p = 0.04); no dose of ciprofloxacin or azithromycin had any impact. This inhibitory outcome with doxycycline lends support to the use of tetracyclines as immune modulators and anti-inflammatory medications in treatment of C. pneumoniae -infected asthma patients.