Effect of budesonide and azithromycin on the chemotaxis of blood monocytes and lymphocytes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Objective. To evaluate the ability of a combination of budesonide and azithromycin to influence the migration of blood monocytes and lymphocytes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Materials and methods. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with COPD (n=8) were incubated with glucocorticoid budesonide (10 nM), macrolide antibiotic azithromycin (10 µg/mL), or their combination, and then transferred to chemotaxis chambers containing chemokines RANTES (CCL5, 10 nM) or IP-10 (CXCL10, 10 nM). Cells migrated to the lower compartment of the chamber were collected, stained with monoclonal antibodies to CD3, CD14, CD19, CD45 and counted on a flow cytometer.Results. Azithromycin alone and in combination with budesonide inhibited the migration of blood T-lymphocytes and B-cells and enhanced the migration of blood monocytes to RANTES and IP-10. The combination of azithromycin and budesonide had a more suppressive effect on the chemotaxis of blood T- and B-lymphocytes to RANTES and IP-10 than budesonide alone. The combination of azithromycin and budesonide had an effect similar to azithromycin alone on the migration of blood T- and B-lymphocytes, as well as monocytes in patients with COPD.Conclusion. The results of the study demonstrate the ability of azithromycin alone to modulate the chemotaxis of peripheral blood monocytes and lymphocytes in patients with COPD and the lack of advantages of its combination with budesonide.