Effect of Moxifloxacin on Production of Proinflammatory Cytokines from Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

The effects of moxifloxacin, a new methoxyfluoroquinolone, on the production of proinflammatory cytokines from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were evaluated. Moxifloxacin inhibited the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and/or interleukin-6 (IL-6) by PBMCs stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), lipoteichoic acid (LTA), and heat-killed bacteria in a concentration-dependent manner without cytotoxic effects. The addition of moxifloxacin reduced the population of cells positive for CD-14 and TNF-α and for CD-14 and IL-6 among the LPS- or LTA-stimulated PBMCs. By Western blot analysis, moxifloxacin pretreatment reduced the degradation of IκBα in LPS-stimulated PBMCs. In conclusion, moxifloxacin could interfere with NF-κB activation by inhibiting the degradation of IκBα and reduce the levels of production of proinflammatory cytokines.