Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Medical Centre Alkmaar, Alkmaar, The Netherlands.
Respiration. 2011;81(1):67-74. doi: 10.1159/000320319. Epub 2010 Aug 21.
Macrolide antibiotics are well known for their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. This article provides an overview of the biological mechanisms through which macrolides exert this 'double effect'. Their antibacterial effect consists of the inhibition of bacterial protein synthesis, impaired bacterial biofilm synthesis, and the attenuation of other bacterial virulence factors. Apart from these direct antimicrobial effects, macrolides are known for their modulating effect on many components of the human immune system. By influencing the production of cytokines, they have a dampening effect on the proinflammatory response. Furthermore, the majority of cells involved in the immune response are, in one way or another, influenced when macrolide antibiotics are administered. Having such an obvious effect on the various aspects of the immune system, macrolides seem to be exceptionally suited for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases.
大环内酯类抗生素以其抗菌和抗炎特性而闻名。本文概述了大环内酯类药物发挥这种“双重作用”的生物学机制。它们的抗菌作用包括抑制细菌蛋白质合成、破坏细菌生物膜合成以及削弱其他细菌毒力因子。除了这些直接的抗菌作用外，大环内酯类药物还以其对人体免疫系统许多成分的调节作用而闻名。通过影响细胞因子的产生，它们对促炎反应具有抑制作用。此外，当给予大环内酯类抗生素时，参与免疫反应的大多数细胞都会受到不同程度的影响。由于对免疫系统的各个方面都有明显的影响，大环内酯类药物似乎特别适合治疗慢性炎症性疾病。
