Tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone promotes functional cooperation of Bcl2 and c-Myc through phosphorylation in regulating cell survival and proliferation

Nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is formed by nitrosation of nicotine and has been identified as the most potent carcinogen contained in cigarette smoke. NNK significantly contributes to smoking-related lung cancer, but the molecular mechanism remains enigmatic. Bcl2 and c-Myc are two major oncogenic proteins that cooperatively promote tumor development. We report here that NNK simultaneously stimulates Bcl2 phosphorylation exclusively at Ser(70) and c-Myc at Thr(58) and Ser(62) through activation of both ERK1/2 and PKCalpha, which is required for NNK-induced survival and proliferation of human lung cancer cells. Treatment of cells with staurosporine or PD98059 blocks both Bcl2 and c-Myc phosphorylation and results in suppression of NNK-induced proliferation. Specific depletion of c-Myc expression by RNA interference retards G(1)/S cell cycle transition and blocks NNK-induced cell proliferation. Phosphorylation of Bcl2 at Ser(70) promotes a direct interaction between Bcl2 and c-Myc in the nucleus and on the outer mitochondrial membrane that significantly enhances the half-life of the c-Myc protein. Thus, NNK-induced functional cooperation of Bcl2 and c-Myc in promoting cell survival and proliferation may occur in a novel mechanism involving their phosphorylation, which may lead to development of human lung cancer and/or chemoresistance.     

Tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone induces phosphorylation of mu- and m-calpain in association with increased secretion, cell migration, and invasion

Mounting evidence indicates that cigarette smoking not only promotes tumorigenesis but also may increase the spread of cancer cells in the body. However, the intracellular mechanism(s) by which cigarette smoking promotes metastasis of human lung cancer remains enigmatic. Nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is an important component in cigarette smoke and is formed by nitrosation of nicotine. mu- and m-calpain (calpain I and calpain II) are major members of the calpain family, which are ubiquitously expressed in both small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer cells. Our findings indicated that NNK potently induces phosphorylation of both mu- and m-calpain in association with their activation and increased migration as well as invasion of lung cancer cells. Treatment of cells with PD98059 blocked phosphorylation of m- and mu-calpain and resulted in suppression of NNK-induced cell migration and invasion. p44 MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1) and p42 MAPK/ERK2 were activated by NNK, co-localized with mu- and m-calpain in cytoplasm, and directly phosphorylated mu- and m-calpain in vitro. These findings suggest a role for the ERK1/2 kinases as NNK-activated physiological calpain kinases. Specific knock-down of mu- and/or m-calpain expression by RNA interference blocked NNK-stimulated migration and invasion, suggesting that mu- and m-calpain may act as required targets in a NNK-induced metastatic signaling pathway. Furthermore, NNK promotes secretion of active mu- and m-calpain from lung cancer cells through vesicles, which may have the potential to cleave substrates in the extracellular matrix. Thus, NNK-induced cell migration and invasion may occur, at least in part, through a novel mechanism involving phosphorylation of calpains that leads to their activation and secretion, which may contribute to metastasis and/or progression of lung cancer.     

Survival function of protein kinase C{iota} as a novel nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone-activated bad kinase

Nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is formed by nitrosation of nicotine and has been identified as the most potent carcinogen in cigarette smoke. NNK cannot only induce DNA damage but also promotes the survival of human lung cancer cells. Protein kinase C (PKC)iota is an atypical PKC isoform and plays an important role in cell survival, but the downstream survival substrate(s) is not yet identified. Bad, a proapoptotic BH3-only member of Bcl2 family, is co-expressed with PKCiota in both small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer cells. We discovered that NNK potently induces multisite Bad phosphorylation at Ser-112, Ser-136, and Ser-155 via activation of PKCiota in association with increased survival of human lung cancer cells. Purified, active PKCiota can directly phosphorylate both endogenous and recombinant Bad at these three sites and disrupt Bad/Bcl-XL binding in vitro. Overexpression of PKCiota results in an enhancement of Bad phosphorylation. NNK also stimulates activation of c-Src, which is a known PKCiota upstream kinase. Treatment of cells with the PKC inhibitor (staurosporine) or a Src-specific inhibitor (PP2) can block NNK-induced Bad phosphorylation and promote apoptotic cell death. The beta-adrenergic receptor inhibitor propranolol blocks both NNK-induced activation of PKCiota and Bad phosphorylation, indicating that NNK-induced Bad phosphorylation occurs at least in part through the upstream beta-adrenergic receptor. Mechanistically, NNK-induced Bad phosphorylation prevents its interaction with Bcl-XL. Because the specific depletion of PKCiota by RNA interference inhibits both NNK-induced Bad phosphorylation and survival, this confirms that PKCiota is a necessary component in NNK-mediated survival signaling. Collectively, these findings reveal a novel role for PKCiota as an NNK-activated physiological Bad kinase that can directly phosphorylate and inactivate this proapoptotic BH3-only protein, which leads to enhanced survival and chemoresistance of human lung cancer cells.     

Nicotine,through upregulating pro‐survival signaling,cooperates with NNK to promote transformation

Cigarette smoking is a mixture of thousands of compounds, many of which are carcinogens, such as NNK [4‐(methylnitrosamino)‐1‐(3‐pyridyl)‐1‐butanone]. Nicotine, as an addictive substance in cigarette, has been shown to promote growth of non‐neuronal cells. It is unclear how nicotine cooperates with tobacco‐related carcinogens during tumorigenesis. Here, by concurrent treatment of nicotine and NNK, we investigate the effect of the cooperation of these two compounds on cell growth and apoptosis in various different lung epithelial (RLE) or cancer (LKR) cells. We demonstrated that short‐term nicotine exposure moderately activated mitogenic signaling pathways (such as PKC, ERK, and Akt) and a mediocre protection against cisplatin‐mediated apoptosis. In contrast, NNK strongly stimulated mitogenic signaling and rendered the cells a high resistance to cisplatin. The pre‐ligation of nAChR by nicotine interfered with NNK‐mediated mitogenic signaling and resistance to cisplatin, the magnitude of which was similar as that exposed to nicotine alone. Interestingly, a week after the exposure to nicotine or nicotine plus NNK, Bcl‐2 expression was augmented, accompanied with the increased resistance to cisplatin‐induced apoptosis. In comparison, long‐term NNK treatment provided very little protection of the cells from cisplatin. We also showed that the combination treatment promoted more cells to grow in an anchorage‐independent fashion than NNK exposure alone. Thus, the data suggest that through occupying nAChR, nicotine appears to modulate NNK‐mediated signaling and persistently sustain pro‐survival activities to promote transformation. J. Cell. Biochem. 109: 152–161, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

DNA adduct formation from tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines

Tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines are a group of carcinogens derived from the tobacco alkaloids. They are likely causative factors for cancers of the lung, esophagus, pancreas, and oral cavity in people who use tobacco products. The most carcinogenic tobacco-specific nitrosamines in laboratory animals are 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), and N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN). DNA adduct formation from NNK and NNN has been studied extensively and is reviewed here. NNK is metabolically activated by cytochromes P450 to intermediates which methylate and pyridyloxobutylate DNA. The resulting adducts have been detected in cells and tissues susceptible to NNK carcinogenesis in rodents. The methylation and pyridyloxobutylation pathways are both important in carcinogenesis by NNK. NNK also induces single strand breaks and increases levels of 8-oxodeoxyguanosine in DNA of treated animals. NNAL, which like NNK is a potent pulmonary carcinogen, is also metabolically activated to methylating and pyridyloxobutylating intermediates. NNN pyridyloxobutylates DNA in its rat target tissues, esophagus and nasal mucosa. Methyl and pyridyloxobutyl DNA adducts are detected in human tissues. The methyl adducts most likely result in part from exposure of smokers to NNK, but these adducts are also detected in non-smokers. Some of the methyl adducts detected in non-smokers may be due to environmental tobacco smoke exposure. There are also potential dietary and endogenous sources of these adducts. Pyridyloxobutyl DNA adducts in human tissues result mainly from exposure to tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines. In laboratory animals, DNA adduct formation and carcinogenicity of tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines are closely correlated in many instances, and it is likely that similar relationships will hold in humans.     

Flavonoids suppresses the enhancing effect of beta-carotene on DNA damage induced by 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) in A549 cells

This study investigated the individual and combined effects of beta-carotene with a common flavonoid (naringin, quercetin or rutin) on DNA damage induced by 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), a potent tobacco-related carcinogen in human. A human lung cancer cell line, A549, was pre-incubated with beta-carotene, a flavonoid, or both for 1h followed by incubation with NNK for 4 h. Then, we determined DNA strand breaks and the level of 7-methylguanine (7-mGua), a product of NNK metabolism by cytochrome P450 (CYP). We showed that beta-carotene at 20 microM significantly enhanced NNK-induced DNA strand breaks and 7-mGua levels by 90% (p < 0.05) and 70% (p < 0.05), respectively, and that the effect of beta-carotene was associated with an increased metabolism of NNK by CYP because the concomitant addition of 1-aminobenzotriazole, a CYP inhibitor, with beta-carotene to cells strongly inhibited NNK-induced DNA strand breaks. In contrast to beta-carotene, incubation of cells with naringin, quercetin or rutin added at 23 microM led to significant inhibition of NNK-induced DNA strand breaks, and the effect was in the order of quercetin > naringin > rutin. However, these flavonoids did not significantly affect the level of 7-mGua induced by NNK. Co-incubation of beta-carotene with any of these flavonoids significantly inhibited the enhancing effect of beta-carotene on NNK-induced DNA strand breaks; the effects of flavonoids were dose-dependent and were also in the order of quercetin > naringin > rutin. Co-incubation of beta-carotene with any of these flavonoids also significantly inhibited the loss of beta-carotene incorporated into the cells, and the effects of the flavonoids were also in the order of quercetin > naringin > rutin. The protective effects of these flavonoids may be attributed to their antioxidant activities because they significantly decreased intracellular ROS, and the effects were also in the order of quercetin > naringin > rutin. These in vitro results suggest that a combination of beta-carotene with naringin, rutin, or quercetin may increase the safety of beta-carotene.     

Array CGH analysis reveals chromosomal aberrations in mouse lung adenocarcinomas induced by the human lung carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone

Exposure to genotoxic carcinogens in tobacco smoke is a major cause of lung cancer. However, the effect this has on DNA copy number and genomic stability during lung carcinogenesis is unclear. Here we used bacterial artificial chromosome array-based comparative genomic hybridization to examine the effect of NNK, a potent human lung carcinogen present in tobacco smoke, on the major genomic changes occurring during mouse lung adenocarcinogenesis. Observed were significantly more gross chromosomal changes in NNK-induced tumors compared with the spontaneous tumors. An average of 5.6 chromosomes were affected by large-scale changes in DNA copy number per NNK-induced tumor compared with only 2.0 in spontaneous lung tumors (p = 0.017). Further analysis showed that gains on chromosomes 6 and 8, and losses on chromosomes 11 and 14 were more common in NNK-induced tumors (p 相似文献   

Nicotine-induced phosphorylation of ERK in mouse primary cortical neurons: evidence for involvement of glutamatergic signaling and CaMKII

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) is activated in vivo in a number of brain areas by nicotine and other drugs of abuse. Here we show that nicotine stimulation of cultured mouse cortical neurons leads to a robust induction of ERK phosphorylation that is dependent on nicotine concentration and duration of exposure. Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II activity is necessary for nicotine-induced ERK phosphorylation and neither cAMP-dependent protein kinase or protein kinase C appear to be involved. Activity of glutamate receptors, L-type voltage-gated calcium channels, and voltage-gated sodium channels are also required for nicotine-induced ERK phosphorylation. Nicotine-induced ERK phosphorylation was inhibited by high concentrations of mecamylamine, however it was not blocked by other broad nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) inhibitors (including hexamethonium and chlorisondamine) or nAChR subtype selective inhibitors (such as methyllycaconitine, alpha-bungarotoxin, dihydro-beta-erythroidine, and alpha-conotoxin Au1B). In accord with these pharmacological results, nicotine-induced ERK phosphorylation was normal in primary cultures made from beta2 or alpha7 nAChR subunit knockout mice. The alpha3/beta4 nAChR agonist cytisine did not induce ERK phosphorylation suggesting that alpha3/beta4 nAChRs were not involved in this process. Taken together, these data define a necessary role for glutamatergic signaling and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II in nicotine-induced ERK phosphorylation in cortical neurons and do not provide evidence for the involvement of classical nAChRs.     

Role of DNA methylation in the activation of proto-oncogenes and the induction of pulmonary neoplasia by nitrosamines

The relationships between DNA methylation and repair induced by the tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) to the activation of proto-oncogenes and the induction of pulmonary neoplasia by this carcinogen is described. The formation of the O⁶-methylguanine (O⁶MG) adduct following metabolic activation of NNK appears to be a major factor in the induction of lung tumors in both rats and mice and in the activation of the K-ras oncogene in lung tumors from A/J mouse. The potent carcinogenicity of NNK in the rat lung correlated strongly with cell specificity for formation and persistence of the O⁶MG adduct in the Clara cells. This conclusion was supported by studies with nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a weak carcinogen in the rodent lung. Treatment with NDMA was not associated with any pulmonary cell specificity for DNA methylation. The high affinity for activation of NNK compared to NDMA was ascribed to a difference in cytochrome P-450 isozymes involved in the activation of these two nitrosamines. In the A/J mouse, the induction of pulmonary tumorigenesis involved direct genotoxic activation of the K-ras proto-oncogene as a result of the base mispairing produced by formation of the O⁶MG adduct. In contrast, the induction of pulmonary tumors in the rat by NNK does not appear to involve the ras pathway. It is apparent that different molecular mechanisms are involved in the development of pulmonary tumors by NNK in the mouse and rat. The studies described in this paper illustrate the utility of performing dose-response experiments and the quantitation of DNA methylation and repair in not only target tissues but also target cell types. The fundamental knowledge gained from unraveling the mechanism of carcinogenesis by NNK could lead ultimately to the identification of factors important in the development of human lung cancer.     

Inhibition of mutagenicity of N-nitrosamines by tobacco smoke and its constituents

Tobacco smoke is a complex chemical mixture including pyridine alkaloids and N-nitrosamines, with the concentration of the former several orders of magnitude higher than that of the N-nitrosamines. The major biologically important N-nitrosamines present in tobacco smoke are N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), and N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN). These nitrosamines require metabolic activation by cytochrome P-450s for the expression of mutagenicity. Although nicotine, the major pyridine alkaloid in tobacco, has been shown to inhibit the metabolic activation of NNK, its effect on the mutagenicity of NNK and other N-nitrosamines has not been reported. In the present study, the ability of three pyridine alkaloids (nicotine, cotinine, nornicotine) and aqueous cigarette smoke condensate extract (ACE) to inhibit the mutagenicity of tobacco-related N-nitrosamines was tested on Salmonella typhimurium strain TA1535 in the presence of a metabolic activation system (S9). All three of the pyridine alkaloids tested, as well as ACE, inhibited the mutagenicity of NDMA and NNK, but not NNN, in a concentration-dependent manner. The induction of SCEs in mammalian cells (CHO) by NNK in the presence of metabolic activation was also significantly reduced by nicotine and cotinine. None of the observed reductions in mutagenicity could be explained by cytotoxicity. These results demonstrate that tobacco smoke contains chemicals, pyridine alkaloids and other unidentified constituent(s), which inhibit the mutagenicity of N-nitrosamines.     

A functional role for nicotine in Bcl2 phosphorylation and suppression of apoptosis

Nicotine is not only a major component in tobacco but is also a survival agonist that inhibits apoptosis induced by diverse stimuli including chemotherapeutic drugs. However, the intracellular mechanism(s) involved in nicotine suppression of apoptosis is unclear. Bcl2 is a potent antiapoptotic protein and tumor promotor that is expressed in both small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. It is possible that nicotine may regulate Bcl2 to stimulate cell survival. Here we report that nicotine can induce Bcl2 phosphorylation exclusively at the serine 70 site in association with prolonged survival of SCLC H82 cells expressing wild-type but not the phosphorylation-deficient S70A mutant Bcl2 after treatment with chemotherapeutic agents (i.e. cisplatin or VP-16). Nicotine induces activation of PKC alpha and the MAPKs ERK1 and ERK2, which are physiological Bcl2 kinases. Furthermore, ET-18-OCH3, a specific phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor, blocks nicotine-stimulated Bcl2 phosphorylation and promotes apoptosis, suggesting that PLC may be involved in nicotine activation of Bcl2 kinases. Using a genetic approach, the gain-of-function S70E mutant, which mimics Ser(70) site phosphorylation in the flexible loop domain, potently enhances chemoresistance in SCLC cells. Thus, nicotine-induced cell survival results, at least in part, from a mechanism that involves Bcl2 phosphorylation. Therefore, novel therapeutic strategies for lung cancer in which Bcl2 is expressed may be used to abrogate the anti-apoptotic activity of Bcl2 by inhibiting multiple upstream nicotine-activated pathways.     

Naturally occurring variants of human Α9 nicotinic receptor differentially affect bronchial cell proliferation and transformation

Isolation of polyadenilated mRNA from human immortalized bronchial epithelial cell line BEP2D revealed the presence of multiple isoforms of RNA coded by the CHRNA9 gene for α9 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). BEP2D cells were homozygous for the rs10009228 polymorphism encoding for N442S amino acid substitution, and also contained mRNA coding for several truncated isoforms of α9 protein. To elucidate the biologic significance of the naturally occurring variants of α9 nAChR, we compared the biologic effects of overexpression of full-length α9 N442 and S442 proteins, and the truncated α9 variant occurring due to a loss of the exon 4 sequence that causes frame shift and early termination of the translation. These as well as control vector were overexpressed in the BEP2D cells that were used in the assays of proliferation rate, spontaneous vs. tobacco nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)-induced cellular transformation, and tumorigenicity in cell culture and mice. Overexpression of the S442 variant significantly increased cellular proliferation, and spontaneous and NNK-induced transformation. The N442 variant significantly decreased cellular transformation, without affecting proliferation rate. Overexpression of the truncated α9 significantly decreased proliferation and suppressed cellular transformation. These results suggested that α9 nAChR plays important roles in regulation of bronchial cell growth by endogenous acetylcholine and exogenous nicotine, and susceptibility to NNK-induced carcinogenic transformation. The biologic activities of α9 nAChR may be regulated at the splicing level, and genetic polymorphisms in CHRNA9 affecting protein levels, amino acid sequence and RNA splicing may influence the risk for lung cancer.     

Nicotine, acetylcholine and bombesin are trophic growth factors in neuroendocrine cell lines derived from experimental hamster lung tumors.

Neuroendocrine hamster lung tumors, induced by exposure to 60% hyperoxia and subcutaneous administration of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-l-(3-pyridyl)-l-butanone (NNK) for 12 weeks, were placed in cell culture. By subsequent selective transfer of epithelial cells and maintenance in an atmosphere of 8% CO2, cell lines with characteristics of neuroendocrine cells were established. The neuroendocrine markers expressed by these cell lines included electron dense neuroendocrine secretion granules as well as secretion of calcitonin and mammalian bombesin. In keeping with data previously reported for a human neuroendocrine lung tumor cell line, nicotine, acetylcholine, and mammalian bombesin (MB) acted as strong growth factors in these neuroendocrine hamster tumor lines. The mitogenic effect of nicotine and acetylcholine was abolished by nicotinic receptor inhibition while the effects of mammalian bombesin were inhibited by an antagonist of MB receptors. Our data suggest that a receptor-mediated mitogenic effect of nicotine on neuroendocrine lung cells may be instrumental in the induction of smoking-associated small cell lung cancer.     

Nicotine activates the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 via the alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and protein kinase A, in SH-SY5Y cells and hippocampal neurones

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) can modulate many cellular mechanisms, such as cell survival and memory processing, which are also influenced by the serine/threonine protein kinases ERK1/2. In SH-SY5Y cells and hippocampal neurones, nicotine (100 microM) increased the activity of ERK1/2. This effect was Ca2+ dependent, and prevented by the alpha7 nAChR antagonist alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-Bgt) and an inhibitor (PD98059) of the upstream kinase MEK. To determine the intervening steps linking Ca2+ entry to MEK-ERK1/2 activation, inhibitors of Ca2+-dependent kinases were deployed. In SH-SY5Y cells, selective blockers for PKC (Ro 31-8220), CaM kinase II (KN-62) or PI3 kinase (LY 294002) failed to inhibit the nicotine-evoked increase in ERK1/2 activity. In contrast, two structurally different inhibitors of PKA (KT 5720 and H-89) completely prevented the nicotine-dependent increase in ERK1/2 activity. Inhibition of the nicotine-evoked increase in ERK1/2 activity by H-89 was also observed in hippocampal cultures. Down stream of PKA, the activity of B-Raf was significantly decreased by nicotine in SH-SY5Y cells, as determined by direct measurement of MEK1 phosphorylation or in vitro kinase assays, whereas the modulation of MEK1 phosphorylation by Raf-1 tended to increase. Thus, this study provides evidence for a novel signalling route coupling the stimulation of alpha7 nAChR to the activation of ERK1/2, in a Ca2+ and PKA dependent manner.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of metabolites of the nicotine-derived nitrosamines, N'-nitrosonornicotine and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone

An improved high-performance liquid chromatographic system was developed for separation of 11 metabolites of the nicotine-derived nitrosamines N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). The new system employed a 5-microns octadecylsilane bonded column eluted with aqueous sodium acetate-methanol gradients of varying pH. Analysis times were typically 30 min for NNN metabolites and 50 min for NNK metabolites, compared to 80 and 90 min, respectively, when 10-microns columns were used. The E and Z isomers of all nitrosamine-containing metabolites of NNK were separated. The chromatographic behavior of the 11 metabolites as well as NNN and NNK was studied between pH 4.0 and 7.5. The retention times of several metabolites were altered significantly as a function of pH. The results of the pH study provide valuable additional criteria for metabolite identification as well as optimized conditions for their separation. Applications of the system to the metabolism of [2'-14C]NNN in cultured rat esophagus and [carbonyl-14C]NNK in rat liver slices are presented.     

Multiple roles of nicotine on cell proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis: implications on lung carcinogenesis

The genotoxic effects of tobacco carcinogens have long been recognized, the contribution of tobacco components to cancerogenesis by cell surface receptor signaling is relatively unexplored. Nicotine, the principal tobacco alkaloid, acts through nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). nAChR are functionally present on human lung airway epithelial cells, on lung carcinoma [SCLC and NSCLC] and on mesothelioma and build a part of an autocrine-proliferative network that facilitates the growth of neoplastic cells. Different nAChR subunit gene expression patterns are expressed between NSCLC from smokers and non-smokers. Although there is no evidence that nicotine itself could induce cancer, different studies established that nicotine promotes in vivo the growth of cancer cells and the proliferation of endothelial cells suggesting that nicotine might contribute to the progression of tumors already initiated. These observations led to the hypothesis that nicotine might be playing a direct role in the promotion and progression of human lung cancers. Here, we briefly overview the role and the effects of nicotine on pulmonary cell growth and physiology and its feasible implications in lung carcinogenesis.     

Nicotine-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase and CREB in PC12h cells

We have investigated mechanisms of nicotine-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (p42/44 MAP kinase, ERK) and cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) in PC12h cells. Nicotine transiently induced ERK phosphorylation at more than 1 microM. The maximal level of nicotine-induced ERK phosphorylation was lower than that of the membrane depolarization induced and, to a great extent, the nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced ERK phosphorylation. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) alpha7 subunit-selective inhibitors had no significant effect on nicotine-induced ERK phosphorylation. L-Type voltage-sensitive calcium channel antagonists inhibited nicotine-induced ERK phosphorylation. Calcium imaging experiments showed that alpha7-containing nAChR subtypes were functional at 1 microM of nicotine in the nicotine-induced calcium influx, and non-alpha7 nAChRs were prominent in the Ca(2+) influx at 50 microM of nicotine. An expression of dominant inhibitory Ras inhibited nicotine-induced ERK phosphorylation. A calmodulin antagonist, a CaM kinase inhibitor, a MAP kinase kinase inhibitor inhibited nicotine-induced ERK and CREB phosphorylation. The time course of the phosphorylation of CREB induced by nicotine was similar to that of ERK induced by nicotine. These results suggest that non-alpha7 nAChRs are involved in nicotine-induced ERK phosphorylation through CaM kinase and the Ras-MAP kinase cascade and most of the nicotine-induced CREB phosphorylation is mediated by the ERK phosphorylation in PC12h cells.     

RNA interference (RNAi)-induced suppression of nicotine demethylase activity reduces levels of a key carcinogen in cured tobacco leaves

Technologies for reducing the levels of tobacco product constituents that may contribute to unwanted health effects are desired. Target compounds include tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), a class of compounds generated through the nitrosation of pyridine alkaloids during the curing and processing of tobacco. Studies have reported the TSNA N '-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) to be carcinogenic in laboratory animals. NNN is formed via the nitrosation of nornicotine, a secondary alkaloid produced through enzymatic N -demethylation of nicotine. Strategies to lower nornicotine levels in tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum L.) could lead to a corresponding decrease in NNN accumulation in cured leaves. The major nicotine demethylase gene of tobacco has recently been isolated. In this study, a large-scale field trial was conducted to evaluate transgenic lines of burley tobacco carrying an RNA interference (RNAi) construct designed to inhibit the expression of this gene. Selected transgenic lines exhibited a six-fold decrease in nornicotine content relative to untransformed controls. Analysis of cured leaves revealed a commensurate decrease in NNN and total TSNAs. The inhibition of nicotine demethylase activity is an effective means of decreasing significantly the level of a key defined animal carcinogen present in tobacco products.