title: Upregulation of Fas and FasL expression in nicotine-induced apoptosis of endothelial cells.
abstract: Although smoking-related coronary vascular disease is well documented, the effects of nicotine have not been fully investigated. There is controversy over reports about the effect of nicotine on apoptosis. The effect of nicotine on apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the expressions of Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) and caspase-3 were evaluated in this study. Annexin V fluorescein isothiocyanate and propidium iodide double staining demonstrated that nicotine (0.2 microM, 0.5 microM and 1 microM) could induce apoptosis of HUVECs; reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and Western blotting analysis demonstrated that levels of Fas and FasL expression were increased in nicotine-treated HUVECs. Moreover, caspase-3 expression was also increased. These data indicate that nicotine induces the apoptosis of HUVECs, and that the Fas/FasL pathway may play an important role. This provides evidence that nicotine may have an important role in cardiovascular pathology and atherogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Deparment of Anatomy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, P.R. China. sxcxl@sina.com
authors.forename: X L
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Z D
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Qiao
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C491901:FAS protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D019014:fas Receptor; D009538:Nicotine; D053148:Caspase 3