Premium
Nicotine and fibronectin expression in lung fibroblasts: implications for tobacco‐related lung tissue remodeling
Author(s) -
Roman Jesse,
Ritzenthaler Jeffrey D.,
GilAcosta Alcides,
Rivera Hilda N.,
RoserPage Susanne
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fj.03-0826fje
Subject(s) - fibronectin , nicotine , microbiology and biotechnology , transcription factor , creb , chemistry , gene expression , receptor , biology , extracellular matrix , gene , biochemistry , neuroscience
Tobacco‐related lung diseases are associated with alterations in tissue remodeling and are characterized by increased matrix deposition. Among the matrix molecules found to be highly expressed in tobacco‐related lung diseases is fibronectin, a cell adhesive glycoprotein implicated in tissue injury and repair. We hypothesize that nicotine, a component of tobacco, stimulates the expression of fibronectin in lung fibroblasts via the activation of intracellular signals that lead to increased fibronectin gene transcription. In support of this, we found that nicotine stimulated the expression of fibronectin in lung fibroblasts and that its stimulatory effect was associated with activation of protein kinase C and mitogen‐activated protein kinases, increased levels of intracellular cAMP, and phosphorylation and DNA binding of the transcription factor CREB. Increased transcription of the gene was dependent on cAMP‐response elements (CREs) present on the 5′ end of its gene promoter. The stimulatory effect of nicotine on fibronectin expression was abolished by α‐bungarotoxin, an inhibitor of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7 AChRs). Of note, nicotine increased the expression of α7 nAChRs on fibroblasts. Our data suggest that nicotine induces lung fibroblasts to produce fibronectin by stimulating α7 nAChR‐ dependent signals that regulate the transcription of the fibronectin gene.