title: Effect of retinol and cigarette-smoke condensate on dye-coupled intercellular communication between hamster tracheal epithelial cells.
abstract: The dye-coupled intercellular communication across gap junctions in primary hamster tracheal epithelial cells has been studied in serum-free, hormone-supplemented medium. In the absence of vitamin A, non-cytotoxic concentrations of cigarette-smoke condensate (CSC) inhibited intercellular communication between tracheal epithelial cells in a concentration-dependent way. All-trans retinol and retinoic acid showed biphasic effects on intercellular communication depending on their concentration. Physiological concentrations of retinol and retinoic acid increased the dye-coupled transfer of Lucifer Yellow CH via gap junctions compared with the dimethylsulfoxide-treated tracheal epithelial cells. At pharmacological concentrations retinol slightly increased the intercellular communication in the first 2 h of the exposure period, whereas upon longer treatment times with retinol and retinoic acid, gap-junction-mediated intercellular communication was inhibited almost completely. When retinol was given to tracheal epithelial cells before exposure to CSC or simultaneously with CSC-exposure, retinol counteracted the inhibitory potential of CSC on intercellular communication. The results of the present study clearly indicate that both CSC and all-trans retinol influence the intercellular communication between primary hamster tracheal epithelial cells in serum-free, hormone-supplemented culture medium.
authors.affiliation: TNO-CIVO Toxicology and Nutrition Institute, Department of Biological Toxicology, Zeist, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Rutten
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Jongen
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: de Haan
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Hendriksen
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Koeman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007546:Isoquinolines; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009079:Mucociliary Clearance / Q000187:drug effects; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D012906:Smoke / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014026:Nicotiana; D014132:Trachea / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007546:Isoquinolines; D012906:Smoke; D014801:Vitamin A; C017475:lucifer yellow; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide