Effect of nicotine on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) migration and angiogenesis.
The effects of nicotine on vascular endothelial cells have not been completely elucidated. We performed this study to assess the changes in cellular behaviors of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) treated with nicotine. We examined changes in cell count and morphology and assayed cellular migration with Boyden chamber and microcapillary tube formation in a Matrigel matrix following treatment with various concentrations of nicotine. Compared to the control, nicotine stimulated cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation at concentrations similar to those found in smokers. Although there were no specific morphological changes in HUVECs treated with nicotine at the concentration similar to that in smokers, at high concentration (10(-4) M), morphological changes such as cytoplasmic vacuolization and irregular cell shape were observed, which were assumed to be the result of direct cytotoxicity of nicotine. In HUVECs, nicotine enhanced cellular proliferation, migration and angiogenesis in vitro, and thus caused a functional change, not a morphological change at a concentration similar to that in habitual smokers.
Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 28 Yongon-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Yang Jin
YJ
Park
Taeseung
T
Lee
Jongwon
J
Ha
In Mok
IM
Jung
Jung Kee
JK
Chung
Sang Joon
SJ
Kim
D002452:Cell Count; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000633:toxicity*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000633:toxicity*; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure
D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine