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Erythromycin inhibits neutrophilic inflammation and mucosal disease by upregulating DEL-1
Tomoki Maekawa, Hikaru Tamura, Hisanori Domon, Takumi Hiyoshi, Toshihito Isono, Daisuke Yonezawa, Naoki Hayashi, Naoki Takahashi, Koichi Tabeta, Takeyasu Maeda, Masataka Oda, Athanasios Ziogas, Vasileia Ismini Alexaki, Triantafyllos Chavakis, Yutaka Terao, George Hajishengallis
Tomoki Maekawa, Hikaru Tamura, Hisanori Domon, Takumi Hiyoshi, Toshihito Isono, Daisuke Yonezawa, Naoki Hayashi, Naoki Takahashi, Koichi Tabeta, Takeyasu Maeda, Masataka Oda, Athanasios Ziogas, Vasileia Ismini Alexaki, Triantafyllos Chavakis, Yutaka Terao, George Hajishengallis
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Research Article Immunology Inflammation

Erythromycin inhibits neutrophilic inflammation and mucosal disease by upregulating DEL-1

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Abstract

Macrolide antibiotics exert antiinflammatory effects; however, little is known regarding their immunomodulatory mechanisms. In this study, using 2 distinct mouse models of mucosal inflammatory disease (LPS-induced acute lung injury and ligature-induced periodontitis), we demonstrated that the antiinflammatory action of erythromycin (ERM) is mediated through upregulation of the secreted homeostatic protein developmental endothelial locus-1 (DEL-1). Consistent with the anti–neutrophil recruitment action of endothelial cell–derived DEL-1, ERM inhibited neutrophil infiltration in the lungs and the periodontium in a DEL-1–dependent manner. Whereas ERM (but not other antibiotics, such as josamycin and penicillin) protected against lethal pulmonary inflammation and inflammatory periodontal bone loss, these protective effects of ERM were abolished in Del1-deficient mice. By interacting with the growth hormone secretagogue receptor and activating JAK2 in human lung microvascular endothelial cells, ERM induced DEL-1 transcription that was mediated by MAPK p38 and was CCAAT/enhancer binding protein–β dependent. Moreover, ERM reversed IL-17–induced inhibition of DEL-1 transcription, in a manner that was dependent not only on JAK2 but also on PI3K/AKT signaling. Because DEL-1 levels are severely reduced in inflammatory conditions and with aging, the ability of ERM to upregulate DEL-1 may lead to a novel approach for the treatment of inflammatory and aging-related diseases.

Authors

Tomoki Maekawa, Hikaru Tamura, Hisanori Domon, Takumi Hiyoshi, Toshihito Isono, Daisuke Yonezawa, Naoki Hayashi, Naoki Takahashi, Koichi Tabeta, Takeyasu Maeda, Masataka Oda, Athanasios Ziogas, Vasileia Ismini Alexaki, Triantafyllos Chavakis, Yutaka Terao, George Hajishengallis

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Figure 2

ERM suppresses neutrophil infiltration in BALF.

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ERM suppresses neutrophil infiltration in BALF.
(A) Experimental design....
(A) Experimental design. E. coli LPS (2.5 mg/kg) was administrated intratracheally. ERM (20 mg/kg) or JSM (20 mg/kg), PC (20 mg/kg), or ethanol control (n = 10 mice/group) was administrated i.p. 3 hours before and 24 hours after LPS administration. Samples were collected 48 hours after LPS administration. (B and C) Neutrophil counts (B) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity (C) in the BALF 48 hours after LPS challenge (B: n = 10 mice/group; C: n = 6 mice/group). (D) The mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines (Il6, Il17, and Tnf), Del1, and Il10 in the lung tissue were determined by qPCR 48 hours after LPS challenge (n = 6 mice/group). Data were normalized against Gapdh mRNA and expressed as fold induction relative to treatment with ethanol control, which was assigned an average value of 1. (E) Mean linear intercept measured in central and peripheral areas of the lungs 48 hours after LPS challenge (n = 10 mice/group). (F) Representative images of H&E-stained pulmonary parenchyma 48 hours after LPS challenge. Upper panel: scale bars, 50 μm; lower panel: scale bars, 25 μm. (G) IHC of lung tissue in WT mice stained with DEL-1 and neutrophil elastase 48 hours after LPS challenge. Scale bars: 50 μm. (H) IHC of lung tissue in Del1–/– mice stained with DEL-1 and neutrophil elastase 48 hours after sublethal LPS (2.5 mg/kg) challenge as outlined in panel A. Scale bars: 100 μm. Data are presented as the mean ± SD. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 by 1-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons test.

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