Effects of nicotine on activation of PMNs and the ICAM-1 mRNA expression of HUVEC

AIM: To investigate the effects of nicotine on activation of PMNs, adhesion of PMNs-HUVEC and expression of ICAM-1 mRNA in HUVEC. METHODS: Activation of PMNs was measured by detecting the activity of β-glucuronidase and lysozym of PMNs. Adhesion of PMNs and HUVEC was observed. Northern blot was conducted for quantitating ICAM-1 mRNA. RESULTS: Nicotine could increase the activity of β-g (8.76± 1.01)μg/10⁷·h vs(14.87±2.00)μg/10⁷·h,P<0.05]and Lysozym (20.0±1.5)μg/10⁷·h vs(36.5±4.4)μg/10⁷·h,P<0.05], and also could promote adhesion of PMNs-HUVEC(38.5±9.8 vs 61.0±4.4,P＜0.05). The expression of ICAM-1 mRNA was induced by nicotine in dose-dependent fashion (10^-5-10^-3mol/L).After a 2 h treatment of HUVEC with nicontine(10^-4mol/L), the level of ICAM-1 mRNA is above the control(1.23 vs 1.63) and the highest level (2.03) is at a 12 h treatment. 764-3 can obviously counteract the above effect of nicotine. CONCLUSIONS: Nicotine could activate PMNs, enhance adhesion of PMNs-HUVEC and increase the expression of ICAM-1 mRNA in HUVEC.