PACAP Protects Against Ethanol and Nicotine Toxicity in SH-SY5Y Cells: Implications for Drinking-Smoking Co-morbidity.
The detrimental effects of heavy drinking and smoking are multiplied when the two are combined. Treatment modalities for each and especially for the combination are very limited. Although in low concentration, alcohol and nicotine, each may have beneficial effects including neuroprotection, their combination, instead of providing additive protection, may actually lead to toxicity in cell cultures. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is an endogenous 38 amino-acid peptide with demonstrated protection against neuronal injury, trauma as well as various endogenous and exogenous toxic agents. The aim of this study was to investigate whether PACAP may also protect against toxicity induced by high alcohol, high nicotine, or the combination of low alcohol and nicotine concentrations, and if so, whether this effect was mediated via PAC1 receptor. We used the neuroblastoma-derived SH-SY5Y cells and applied various colorimetric assays for determination of cell viability or toxicity. Results indicate that PACAP blocks toxicity induced by high alcohol and high nicotine as well as their combination at low concentrations. The effects of PACAP in turn were blocked by the PACAP antagonist (PACAP 6-38), indicating involvement of the PACAP receptor PAC1 and possibly vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptors in PACAP's protection. Moreover, no combined toxicity of low alcohol and low nicotine could be detected in calcium-free medium. These findings suggest possible beneficial effects of PACAP in preventing alcohol and nicotine toxicity and that calcium contributes to the damage induced by combination of low alcohol and nicotine in SH-SY5Y cells.
Department of Basic Sciences, National University of Health Sciences, Pinellas Park, FL, USA.|Department of Anatomy, University of Pecs, Pécs, Hungary.
Sridharan
S
Manavalan
Department of Pharmacology, Howard University College of Medicine, 520 W Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20059, USA.
Bruk
B
Getachew
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
Kebreten F
KF
Manaye
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
Syed J
SJ
Khundmiri
Department of Anatomy, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
Antonei B
AB
Csoka
Department of Anatomy, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
Raechel
R
McKinley
Department of Anatomy, University of Pecs, Pécs, Hungary.
Andrea
A
Tamas
Department of Anatomy, University of Pecs, Pécs, Hungary.
Dora
D
Reglodi
Department of Pharmacology, Howard University College of Medicine, 520 W Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20059, USA. ytizabi@howard.edu.
Yousef
Y
Tizabi
D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005452:Fluoresceins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000473:pathology; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000633:toxicity*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000633:toxicity*; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide / Q000494:pharmacology*
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005452:Fluoresceins; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D000431:Ethanol; D009538:Nicotine; D002118:Calcium; C007740:fluorexon
Alcohol; Calcium; Neuroprotection; Neurotoxicity; Nicotine; PACAP; SH-SY5Y cell line