Dataset Information

Nicotine acts on growth plate chondrocytes to delay skeletal growth through the alpha7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cigarette smoking adversely affects endochondral ossification during the course of skeletal growth. Among a plethora of cigarette chemicals, nicotine is one of the primary candidate compounds responsible for the cause of smoking-induced delayed skeletal growth. However, the possible mechanism of delayed skeletal growth caused by nicotine remains unclarified. In the last decade, localization of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), a specific receptor of nicotine, has been widely detected in non-excitable cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that nicotine affect growth plate chondrocytes directly and specifically through nAChR to delay skeletal growth.

Methodology/principal findings

We investigated the effect of nicotine on human growth plate chondrocytes, a major component of endochondral ossification. The chondrocytes were derived from extra human fingers. Nicotine inhibited matrix synthesis and hypertrophic differentiation in human growth plate chondrocytes in suspension culture in a concentration-dependent manner. Both human and murine growth plate chondrocytes expressed alpha7 nAChR, which constitutes functional homopentameric receptors. Methyllycaconitine (MLA), a specific antagonist of alpha7 nAChR, reversed the inhibition of matrix synthesis and functional calcium signal by nicotine in human growth plate chondrocytes in vitro. To study the effect of nicotine on growth plate in vivo, ovulation-controlled pregnant alpha7 nAChR +/- mice were given drinking water with or without nicotine during pregnancy, and skeletal growth of their fetuses was observed. Maternal nicotine exposure resulted in delayed skeletal growth of alpha7 nAChR +/+ fetuses but not in alpha7 nAChR -/- fetuses, implying that skeletal growth retardation by nicotine is specifically mediated via fetal alpha7 nAChR.

Conclusions/significance

These results suggest that nicotine, from cigarette smoking, acts directly on growth plate chondrocytes to decrease matrix synthesis, suppress hypertrophic differentiation via alpha7 nAChR, leading to delayed skeletal growth.

SUBMITTER: Kawakita A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2596484 | biostudies-literature | 2008

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Nicotine acts on growth plate chondrocytes to delay skeletal growth through the alpha7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.

Kawakita Atsuo A Sato Kazuki K Makino Hatsune H Ikegami Hiroyasu H Takayama Shinichiro S Toyama Yoshiaki Y Umezawa Akihiro A

PloS one 20081216 12

<h4>Background</h4>Cigarette smoking adversely affects endochondral ossification during the course of skeletal growth. Among a plethora of cigarette chemicals, nicotine is one of the primary candidate compounds responsible for the cause of smoking-induced delayed skeletal growth. However, the possible mechanism of delayed skeletal growth caused by nicotine remains unclarified. In the last decade, localization of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), a specific receptor of nicotine, ...[more]

PMID: 19079602

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Project description:BackgroundThe increased expression of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) in muscle denervation is thought to be associated with electrophysiological acetylcholine supersensitivity after nerve injury. Hence, we investigated the utility of the 18F-ASEM alpha7-nAChR targeting radiotracer as a new diagnostic method by visualizing skeletal muscle denervation in mouse models of sciatic nerve injury.MethodsTen-week-old C57BL/6 male mice were utilized. The mice were anesthetized, and the left sciatic nerve was resected after splitting the gluteal muscle. One week (n = 11) and three weeks (n = 6) after the denervation, 18F-ASEM positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) was acquired. Maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of the tibialis anterior muscle were measured for the denervated side and the control side. Autoradiographic evaluation was performed to measure the mean counts of the denervated and control tibialis anterior muscles at one week. In addition, immunohistochemistry was used to identify alpha7-nAChR-positive areas in denervated and control tibialis anterior muscles at one week (n = 6). Furthermore, a blocking study was conducted with methyllycaconitine (MLA, n = 5).Results18F-ASEM PET/MRI showed significantly increased 18F-ASEM uptake in the denervated tibialis anterior muscle relative to the control side one week and three weeks post-denervation. SUVmax of the denervated muscles at one week and three weeks showed significantly higher uptake than the control (P = 0.0033 and 0.0277, respectively). The relative uptake by autoradiography for the denervated muscle was significantly higher than in the control, and immunohistochemistry revealed significantly greater alpha7-nAChR expression in the denervated muscle (P = 0.0277). In addition, the blocking study showed no significant 18F-ASEM uptake in the denervated side when compared to the control (P = 0.0796).ConclusionsOur results suggest that nAChR imaging with 18F-ASEM has potential as a noninvasive diagnostic method for peripheral nervous system disorders.

Project description:BACKGROUND: Nicotinic acetylcholine (Ach) receptors are ligand-gated pentameric ion channels whose main function is to transmit signals for the neurotransmitter Ach in peripheral and central nervous system. However, the alpha7 nicotinic receptor has been recently found in several non-neuronal cells and described as an important regulator of cellular function. Nicotine and ACh have been recently reported to inhibit tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production in human macrophages as well as in mouse microglial cultures. In the present study, we investigated whether the stimulation of alpha7 nicotinic receptor by the specific agonist nicotine could affect the functional state of activated microglia by promoting and/or inhibiting the release of other important pro-inflammatory and lipid mediator such as prostaglandin E2. METHODS: Expression of alpha7 nicotinic receptor in rat microglial cell was examined by RT-PCR, immunofluorescence staining and Western blot. The functional effects of alpha7 receptor activation were analyzed in resting or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated microglial cells pre-treated with nicotine. Culture media were assayed for the levels of tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1beta, nitric oxide, interleukin-10 and prostaglandin E2. Total RNA was assayed by RT-PCR for the expression of COX-2 mRNA. RESULTS: Rat microglial cells express alpha7 nicotinic receptor, and its activation by nicotine dose-dependently reduces the LPS-induced release of TNF-alpha, but has little or no effect on nitric oxide, interleukin-10 and interleukin-1beta. By contrast, nicotine enhances the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and the synthesis of one of its major products, prostaglandin E2. CONCLUSIONS: Since prostaglandin E2 modulates several macrophage and lymphocyte functions, which are instrumental for inflammatory resolution, our study further supports the existence of a brain cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway mediated by alpha7 nicotinic receptor that could be potentially exploited for novel treatments of several neuropathologies in which local inflammation, sustained by activated microglia, plays a crucial role.

Dataset Information

Nicotine acts on growth plate chondrocytes to delay skeletal growth through the alpha7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.

Background

Methodology/principal findings

Conclusions/significance

Publications

Nicotine acts on growth plate chondrocytes to delay skeletal growth through the alpha7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.

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