title: Alcohol-induced apoptosis of canine cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells: role of extracellular and intracellular calcium ions.
abstract: Exposure of canine cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) to ethanol (10, 25 and 100 mM) for 1, 3 and 5 days induced apoptosis with its typical characteristics of nuclear shrinkage, condensation, and DNA breakage as well as formation of apoptotic bodies observed by fluorescence staining, terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling and comet assays. Such effects of alcohol on cerebral VSMCs were time- and concentration-dependent. The threshold ethanol concentration for induction of the apoptotic process was found to be 10 mM. Extracellular and intracellular Ca2+ chelators, i.e. ethylglycol-bisbeta-aminoethylether-N,N,N'N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA, 5 mM) and 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)-ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetra-acetic acid AM (BAPTA, 10(-6) M), respectively, ameliorated greatly the number of cerebral VSMCs which underwent apoptosis. Verapamil, however, failed to inhibit apoptosis of cerebral VSMCs. From these new findings, we suggest that alcohol-induced apoptosis may contribute to alcohol-induced brain-vascular damage and stroke. In addition, our findings point to potential caution for humans who imbibe two or more standard drinks per day or who undergo 'binge drinking'.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Box 31, SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA.
authors.forename: Wenyan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jianfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Weiming
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bella T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Altura
authors.forename: Burton M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Altura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004285:Dogs; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling / Q000379:methods; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D011419:Propidium / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D002614:Chelating Agents; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D011419:Propidium; D000431:Ethanol; D004533:Egtazic Acid; C025603:1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid; D002118:Calcium