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Previous studies have shown that in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human monocytes, interleukin 1 (IL-1) production is altered by quinoline derivative antibiotics (quinolones), in a way which depends both on the dose and on the agents used. Given that Il-1 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) are produced in response to LPS and have some overlapping and synergistic activities, we sought to determine if TNF production was altered under the above-mentioned conditions. We investigated the effects of three quinolones: ciprofloxacin (Cip), pefloxacin (Pef) and ofloxacin (Ofl). These quinolones were found to decrease extracellular TNF production in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations higher than 25 μg/ml as previously described by our laboratory with regard to IL-1 production. Moreover, the order of the extracellular decrease in TNF and IL-1 induced by each drug was similar. However, in contrast to IL-1 activity, the quinolones studied also reduced cell-associated TNF. The kinetics of TNF production suggested that the quinolones affected TNF production at a very early step, probably during TNF synthesis rather than during its secretion into the extracellular medium. Furthermore, the quinolone-induced accumulation of intracellular cAMP could explain the extracellular decrease in both IL-1 and TNF production.

Time dependent response for hyperoxic exposure was determined in vitro on ConA proliferative response of rat splenocytes, peripheral blood mononuclear cells and thymocytes. The proliferative responses were evaluated after different lengths of hyperoxic exposure (12-72 h, FiO2 = 0.95). After 24 h oxygen exposure, the spleen cell viability assessed by dye exclusion was normal but DNA synthesis was markedly suppressed in the above three types of cells. Total or partial protection of the mitogenic response to ConA was obtained by 2-mercaptoethanol, reduced glutathione or L-cysteine addition in culture medium; only selenomethionine had no protective effect. Thymic cells showed a different response-curve: after 6 h exposure to normobaric oxygen DNA synthesis was decreased and was not restored by any of the thiol compounds tested. In this respect, these cells demonstrated different susceptibility to an oxidant injury, i.e. exposure to high oxygen concentration. From a pharmacological point of view O2 exposure and altered immune response could be proposed as a useful model for screening the antioxidant drug activity.

Exposure of human monocytes to 95% normobaric oxygen (O2) was used as an in vitro oxidative injury model to study the effects of the O2-derived species produced by phagocytes at inflammatory sites on monocyte IL-1 production. Exposure to O2 enhanced production by monocytes of IL-1-like activity whether the adherent cells were cultured in the presence of opsonized zymosan, LPS or medium alone. This O2-induced increase in production of IL-1 activity was inhibited by cycloheximide and thus resulted from de novo protein synthesis. Furthermore, the increase was prevented by the addition of the protein kinase inhibitor N-2-methylaminoethyl-5-isoquinoline sulfonamide dihydrochloride (H8). Following exposure to O2, Ca2+/phospholipid-independent protein kinase activity increased in comparison to air-exposed monocytes, whereas the dependent form decreased. Since the Ca2+/phospholipid-independent form is known to derive from the dependent form (protein kinase C) by proteolysis in the presence of a thiol proteinase, our results suggest that oxidative injury stimulates thiol proteinase activity and enhances production of IL-1 activity by human monocytes partly by interfering with protein kinase C metabolism. Among the consequences of the generation of O2-derived species by phagocytes in inflammatory sites, the augmentation of the production of IL-1-like activity could amplify the inflammatory response.

Previous studies have shown that lectin-induced human mononuclear leukocyte (MNL) proliferation was influenced by quinoline derivative antibiotics (quinolones), depending on both the dose and the antimicrobial agent used. Since the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) is known to be involved in the proliferation of immune cells, we investigated the effects of three quinolones: ciprofloxacin (Cip), ofloxacin (Ofl) and pefloxacin (Pef) on IL-2 production in vitro by phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated human MNL. IL-2 activity in the supernatants of PHA-stimulated MNL was found to be enhanced by quinolones in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Increased IL-2 activity was observed using Cip, Ofl or Pef at therapeutically achievable blood concentrations (5–10 μg/ml). Since at these concentrations the PHA-induced proliferative response of MNL was not impaired by quinolones, the increased recovered IL-2 activity was not related to a decreased absorption of IL-2 by activated MNL. At high antibiotic concentrations (25 μg/ml), the enhanced IL-2 activity might be related (i) to increased accumulation resulting from the decreased proliferation induced by the quinolones at these concentrations, and (ii) to a true increased IL-2 production by the cells. In fact, an increased IL-2 recovery in presence of quinolones was always observed after blocking the cell by cycle by mitomycin C, and was therefore independent of DNA-synthesis. Furthermore, the expression of IL-2 receptors was not modified by Cip, Ofl or Pef. These data show that quinolones increased IL-2 synthesis by MNL and suggest the potential usefulness of these antibiotics, not only as antimicrobial agents, but also as modulators of immune responses.