TY - JOUR AU - Zhang, Bei AU - Bailey, William M. AU - Kopper, Timothy J. AU - Orr, Michael B. AU - Feola, David J. AU - Gensel, John C. PY - 2015 DA - 2015/11/24 TI - Azithromycin drives alternative macrophage activation and improves recovery and tissue sparing in contusion spinal cord injury JO - Journal of Neuroinflammation SP - 218 VL - 12 IS - 1 AB - Macrophages persist indefinitely at sites of spinal cord injury (SCI) and contribute to both pathological and reparative processes. While the alternative, anti-inflammatory (M2) phenotype is believed to promote cell protection, regeneration, and plasticity, pro-inflammatory (M1) macrophages persist after SCI and contribute to protracted cell and tissue loss. Thus, identifying non-invasive, clinically viable, pharmacological therapies for altering macrophage phenotype is a challenging, yet promising, approach for treating SCI. Azithromycin (AZM), a commonly used macrolide antibiotic, drives anti-inflammatory macrophage activation in rodent models of inflammation and in humans with cystic fibrosis. SN - 1742-2094 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12974-015-0440-3 DO - 10.1186/s12974-015-0440-3 ID - Zhang2015 ER -