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Impairment of innate immune killing mechanisms by bacteriostatic antibiotics
Author(s) -
Kristian Sascha A.,
Timmer Anjuli M.,
Liu George Y.,
Lauth Xavier,
Sal-Man Neta,
Rosenfeld Yosef,
Shai Yechiel,
Gallo Richard L.,
Nizet Victor
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fj.06-6802com
Subject(s) - innate immune system , antibiotics , immune system , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , biology
Antibiotics are designed to support host defense in controlling infection. Here we describe a paradoxical inhibitory effect of bacteriostatic antibiotics on key mediators of mammalian innate immunity. When growth of species including Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus is suppressed by chloramphenicol or erythromycin, the susceptibility of the bacteria to cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides or serum complement was markedly diminished. Survival of the bacteria in human whole blood, human wound fluid, or a mouse wound infection model was in turn increased after antibiotic‐induced bacteriostasis. These findings provide a further rationale against the indiscriminate use of antibiotics.—Kristian, S. A., Timmer, A. M., Liu, G. Y., Lauth, X., Sal‐Man, N., Rosenfeld, Y., Shai, Y., Gallo, R. L., Nizet, V. Impairment of innate immune killing mechanisms by bacteriostatic antibiotics. FASEB J. 21, 1107–1116 (2007)