Double Targeting Inflammasome Activation and Accelerated Cellular Senescence in Alveolar Macrophages Exposed to Cigarette Smoke and COPD

We hypothesise that anti-inflammatory macrolides can alleviate both the NLRP3 inflammasome activation and accelerated senescence in alveolar macrophages in COPD and/or response to cigarette smoke. Lung tissues from COPD patients and mice chronically exposed to cigarette smoke, cultures of human primary alveolar macrophages and macrophages derived from blood (MDM) or THP-1 monocytes were analysed for markers of macrophage NLRP3 inflammasome activation and accelerated senescence using multifluorescence quantitative confocal microscopy, Western blot, flow cytometry and histochemistry. Cultured macrophages were stimulated with 10% cigarette smoke extract (CSE), with or without presence of non-antibiotic macrolides 2-desoxy-9-(S)-erythromycylamine and azithromycin-based 2-desoxy molecule. Cigarette smoke and CSE induced in macrophages significant (p