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Published on: June 15, 2020

A macrolide antibiotic, roxithromycin, inhibits the growth of nasal polyp fibroblasts

M Nonaka1, R Pawankar, S Tomiyama

  • 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.

American Journal of Rhinology
|September 15, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Roxithromycin (RXM) was found to directly inhibit nasal polyp fibroblast proliferation. This macrolide antibiotic may prevent nasal polyposis progression by reducing fibrosis development.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Cell Biology
  • Otolaryngology

Background:

  • Nasal polyposis is a chronic upper airway inflammatory disease.
  • Fibroblasts contribute to the stromal fibrosis characteristic of nasal polyposis.
  • The effect of Roxithromycin (RXM) on fibroblasts is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the in vitro and in vivo effects of RXM on nasal polyp fibroblasts (NPFs).
  • To determine if RXM inhibits fibroblast proliferation and fibrosis development in nasal polyposis.

Main Methods:

  • Generated NPF lines from untreated patients and patients treated with RXM.
  • Assessed in vitro fibroblast proliferation using cell counting and 3H thymidine uptake.
  • Compared NPF growth characteristics from treated versus untreated patients and before/after RXM treatment.

Main Results:

  • RXM significantly suppressed NPF proliferation in a dose-dependent manner in vitro.
  • NPF lines from RXM-treated patients showed lower proliferation rates compared to untreated NPFs.
  • Fibroblast proliferation was reduced in NPF lines from the same patient after RXM treatment.

Conclusions:

  • RXM directly inhibits nasal polyp fibroblast proliferation.
  • The anti-proliferative effect of RXM on fibroblasts is persistent.
  • RXM holds potential for preventing nasal polyposis progression by inhibiting fibrosis.

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