Effect of tigecycline on the production of selected cytokines and counts of murine CD4 + and CD8 + T cells - an in vitro study

Abstract

Due to the unrecognized effect of tigecycline (TIG) on CD4 + and CD8 + T cells, the present study has been undertaken in order to determine whether the drug can affect these cells in respect of their counts, and the production of IFN-γ, IL-17 (pro-inflammatory and immune-protective cytokines), IL-4 (anti-inflammatory and immune-protective cytokine), IL-10 and TGF-β (antiinflammatory and immune-suppressive cytokines). Murine lymphocytes were treated with TIG for 48 and 96 h at concentrations reflecting its plasma levels obtained in vivo at therapeutic doses, and at 10-fold lower concentrations. It was found that TIG neither affected substantially the percentage and absolute counts of entire CD4 + and CD8 + T cell populations nor influenced the Foxp3 + CD25 + CD4 + regulatory/suppressive T cell subset. Furthermore, the percentages of IL-4-, IL-10-, IL-17- and TGF-β-producing CD4 + T cells were not altered following the exposure to TIG. Similarly, TIG did not influence IFN-γ production by CD8 + T cells. Thus, with respect to the parameters evaluated, TIG does not seem to exert immune-suppressive and antiinflammatory effects.