Antioxidant supplementation prevents oxidation and inflammatory responses induced by sidestream cigarette smoke in old mice.

Sidestream cigarette smoke (SSCS) makes up about 85% of significantly toxic environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) in SSCS play an important role in the pathogenesis of a wide range of diseases. Interleukin-6 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine and is closely linked with pathology in cardiovascular disease and conditions that have an inflammatory base. Exposure to SSCS through a burning cigarette for 30 min/day, 5 days a week, for 4 months increased interleukin-6 production in spleen and lipid peroxide level in mouse liver. Our findings suggest that ROS induced by SSCS will promote hepatic lipid peroxidation and may also contribute to an increase in interleukin-6 cytokine production. Multiple antioxidants given as a dietary supplement significantly normalized interleukin-6 cytokine production and prevented hepatic lipid peroxidation. We conclude that the SSCS in moderate intake levels increased oxidation and promoted inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 production, whereas antioxidants prevented these changes.