Navarro H A, Basta P V, Seidler F J, Slotkin T A
Center for Chemistry and Life Sciences, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
Brain Res Dev Brain Res. 2001 Oct 24;130(2):253-6. doi: 10.1016/s0165-3806(01)00256-5.
Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy is known to alter immune function in the offspring and recent studies with animals indicate that prenatal nicotine exposure leads to lasting deficiencies in T-lymphocyte mitogenic responses, likely through excessive cholinergic stimulation during a critical stage of development. The current study was conducted to determine if the vulnerable period for nicotine-induced mis-programming of immune responses extends into adolescence, the stage at which most smokers begin tobacco use. Adolescent rats were given nicotine via osmotic minipump infusions on postnatal days (PN) 30-47.5, using a regimen that produces plasma levels (25 ng/ml) of nicotine similar to those in smokers or in users of transdermal nicotine patches. Toward the end of the infusion period (PN45) and 1 month after termination of nicotine exposure (PN80), we examined the mitogenic responses of splenocytes to Concanavalin A. Although no deficiencies were seen on PN45, there were robust decreases in mitogenic responses on PN80, with deficits apparent at both suboptimal and optimal concentrations of Concanavalin A. These results indicate that the adolescent immune system is vulnerable to nicotine-induced disruption of T-cell function.
众所周知，孕期母亲吸烟会改变后代的免疫功能，最近的动物研究表明，产前接触尼古丁会导致T淋巴细胞有丝分裂反应持续缺陷，这可能是由于在发育的关键阶段受到过度的胆碱能刺激所致。当前的研究旨在确定尼古丁诱导免疫反应编程错误的敏感期是否会持续到青春期，即大多数吸烟者开始使用烟草的阶段。在出生后第30 - 47.5天，通过渗透微型泵输注给予青春期大鼠尼古丁，使用的方案可使血浆尼古丁水平（25 ng/ml）与吸烟者或经皮尼古丁贴片使用者的水平相似。在输注期结束时（出生后第45天）以及尼古丁暴露终止后1个月（出生后第80天），我们检测了脾细胞对刀豆球蛋白A的有丝分裂反应。虽然在出生后第45天未观察到缺陷，但在出生后第80天有丝分裂反应显著降低，在刀豆球蛋白A的次优和最佳浓度下均出现缺陷。这些结果表明，青春期免疫系统易受尼古丁诱导的T细胞功能破坏的影响。
