Nicotine strongly activates dendritic cell-mediated adaptive immunity - Potential role for progression of atherosclerotic lesions

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Item Type:	Article
Title:	Nicotine strongly activates dendritic cell-mediated adaptive immunity - Potential role for progression of atherosclerotic lesions
Creators Name:	Aicher, A., Heeschen, C., Mohaupt, M., Cooke, J.P., Zeiher, A.M. and Dimmeler, S.
Abstract:	Background - Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) such as monocytes and dendritic cells (DCs) stimulate T-cell proliferation and activation in the course of adaptive immunity. This cellular interaction plays a role in the growth of atherosclerotic plaques. Nicotine has been shown to increase the growth of atherosclerotic lesions. Therefore, we investigated whether nicotine can stimulate APCs and their T cell-stimulatory capacity using human monocyte-derived DCs and murine bone marrow-derived DCs as APCs. Methods and Results - Nicotine dose-dependently (10-8 to 10-4 mol/L) induced DC expression of costimulatory molecules (ie, CD86, CD40), MHC class II, and adhesion molecules (ie, LFA-1, CD54). Moreover, nicotine induced a 7.0-fold increase in secretion of the proinflammatory TH1 cytokine interleukin-12 by human DCs. These effects were abrogated by the nicotinic receptor antagonist α-bungarotoxin and mecamylamine, respectively. The effects of nicotine were mediated in part by the phosphorylation of the PI3 kinase downstream target Akt and the mitogen-activated kinases ERK and p38 MAPK. Nicotine-stimulated APCs had a greater capacity to stimulate T-cell proliferation and cytokine secretion, as documented by mixed lymphocyte reactions and ovalbumin-specific assays with ovalbumin-transgenic DO10.11 mice. In a murine model of atherosclerosis, nicotine significantly enhanced the recruitment of DCs to atherosclerotic lesions in vivo. Conclusions - Nicotine activates DCs and augments their capacity to stimulate T-cell proliferation and cytokine secretion. These effects of nicotine may contribute to its influence on the progression of atherosclerotic lesions.
Keywords:	Atherosclerosis, Cells, Immunity, Animals, Mice
Source:	Circulation
ISSN:	0009-7322
Publisher:	American Heart Association
Volume:	107
Number:	4
Page Range:	604-611
Date:	4 February 2003
Official Publication:	http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/107/4/604
PubMed:	View item in PubMed

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