Anti-inflammatory effects of ozenoxacin, a topical quinolone antimicrobial agent

J Antibiot (Tokyo). 2020 Apr;73(4):247-254. doi: 10.1038/s41429-020-0278-5. Epub 2020 Jan 23.

Abstract

Ozenoxacin is a topical quinolone showing potent antimicrobial activities against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and is widely used for the treatment of inflammatory acne. However, the anti-inflammatory activities of ozenoxacin have not been examined so far. In the present study, we investigated the in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory effects of ozenoxacin. The production of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 by human epidermal keratinocytes stimulated by heat-killed Cutibacterium acnes was significantly inhibited by ozenoxacin at concentrations from 1 to 30 μg ml-1. Likewise, the production of IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor alpha by stimulated THP-1 cells, a human monocyte cell line, was inhibited by ozenoxacin at concentrations from 1 to 30 μg ml-1. The production of IL-1β by THP-1 was also inhibited by ozenoxacin at the concentration of 30 μg ml-1. Phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases and degradation of IκB-α, an inhibitory factor of NF-κB in keratinocytes and THP-1 cells, was increased by stimulation with heat-killed C. acnes. Of these activated intracellular pathways, the p38 phosphorylation pathway was remarkably reduced by ozenoxacin in both keratinocytes and THP-1 cells. In addition, the application of 2% ozenoxacin suppressed the increase in the ear thickness of rats induced by an intracutaneous injection of heat-killed C. acnes. These findings suggest that ozenoxacin possesses an anti-inflammatory activity, which may contribute to its therapeutic effects on inflammatory acne.

MeSH terms

  • Acne Vulgaris / drug therapy
  • Acne Vulgaris / pathology
  • Aminopyridines / administration & dosage
  • Aminopyridines / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / drug therapy*
  • Inflammation / microbiology
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Interleukin-6 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-8 / metabolism
  • Male
  • Propionibacterium acnes / pathogenicity
  • Quinolones / administration & dosage
  • Quinolones / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Aminopyridines
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Interleukin-6
  • Interleukin-8
  • Quinolones
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • ozenoxacin