Bactericidal antibiotics promote reactive oxygen species formation and inflammation in human sinonasal epithelial cells

Abstract

In this study, we show that treatment of cultured human SNECs with bactericidal antibiotics leads to formation of ROS with an associated increase in inflammatory and antioxidant gene expression and cell death. This suggests that long-term or inappropriate antibiotic use in the treatment of sinusitis may result in oxidative tissue damage to the sinonasal epithelium. Future studies will explore the clinical implications of such damage to the sinonasal epithelium.