title: Comparison of the effects of nicotine upon the transcellular electrical resistance and sucrose permeability of human ECV304/rat C6 co-cultures and human CaCo₂ cells.
abstract: It is now well established that nicotine adversely affects the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). In contrast, nicotine has been reported to increase the transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) of CaCo₂ colon cancer cells. In the present study, the effects of nicotine upon the TEER and sucrose permeability of ECV304/C6 co-cultures and, for comparative purposes, CaCo₂ cells has been investigated. Neither ECV304 nor C6 cells were found to express measurable membrane levels of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, as assessed by [³H]-epibatidine binding. Nicotine treatment (0.01-1 μM) for up to 48 h had little or no effect upon the TEER or sucrose permeability of either ECV304/C6 co-cultures or CaCo₂ cells. It is concluded that in contrast to the situation for the BBB, ECV304 cells lack nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and the barrier properties of ECV304/C6 co-cultures are not affected to any important extent by nicotine. This study underlines the conclusions made by other authors that the ECV304/C6 co-culture system is of limited validity as a model of the BBB.
authors: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Rodriguez-Gaztelumendi
authors: Malin
authors: M
authors: Alvehus
authors: Therése
authors: T
authors: Andersson
authors: Stig O P
authors: SO
authors: Jacobsson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000494:pharmacology; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D017097:Electric Impedance; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D062793:Occludin; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000378:metabolism; D013395:Sucrose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein
chemical_list: D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; C568985:OCLN protein, human; D062793:Occludin; C568987:Ocln protein, rat; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011725:Pyridines; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; C569042:TJP1 protein, human; C569044:Tjp1 protein, rat; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein; D013395:Sucrose; D009538:Nicotine; C082748:epibatidine