Effect of Azithromycin on TGFβ1-induced EMT of primary human small and large airway epithelial cell cultures - activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) -2 & -9.

<p>Primary small airway epithelial cell (SAEC) and large airway epithelial cell (LAEC) cultures were stimulated with TGFβ1 (50 ng/ml) for 96 h to induce EMT. Azithromycin (1 µg/ml, 10 µg/ml, 50 µg/ml) was simultaneously added to observe its effect on preventing or slowing EMT, by measuring associated increase in the gelatinolytic activity of MMP-2 and -9, by gelatin zymography. (A) Initial zymograms suggested that addition of azithromycin even at a sub-clinical dose (1 µg/ml) suppressed EMT compared to the control. Further quantification of thezymograms showed a suppression in the increase in the activity of matrix metalloproteinase (B) (MMP) -2 and (C) MMP -9 in SAEC and LAEC, observed in the control samples which were stimulated with TGFβ1 alone (n = 6). Data presented as median ± IQR. *p<0.05 compared to control.