The non-antibacterial effects of azithromycin and other macrolides on the bronchial epithelial barrier and cellular differentiation

Azm has a greater affect on the integrity of the bronchial epithelial barrier than other tested macrolides. To better understand the effects macrolides have on bronchial epithelium we investigated global changes in gene expression in VA10 cells grown at air-liquid interface VA10 cells were cultured in an air-liquid interface (ALI) model for 21 days with and without macrolides. RNA was isolated at days 14 and 21 and run through high-throughput RNA sequencing. Macrolides used in this study: clarithromycin (CLARI) azithromycin (AZM) erythromycin (ERY) roxithromycin (ROXI) solithromycin (SOLI) tobramycin (TOBRA)