Search resultsToxic effects of low alcohol and nicotine combinations in SH-SY5Y cells are apoptotically mediated
Title
Toxic effects of low alcohol and nicotine combinations in SH-SY5Y cells are apoptotically mediated
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2011
Authors
Journal
Neurotoxicity Research
Volume
20
Issue
3
Pagination
263 - 269
Date published
2011
ISBN
10298428 (ISSN)
Keywords
alcohol, Analysis of Variance, Animals, apoptosis, article, caspase 3, caspase-3, Cell Line, Tumor, Cell Survival, cell viability, Central Nervous System Depressants, combination chemotherapy, controlled study, cytotoxicity, dose response, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Drug Combinations, drug mechanism, drug potentiation, enzyme activity, Ethanol, human, human cell, Humans, monotherapy, Neuroblastoma, neuroprotection, neurotoxicity, nicotine, Nicotinic Agonists, priority journal, Salsoline Alkaloids, salsolinol, SH-SY5Y cell line, Tetrazolium Salts, Thiazoles
Abstract
It is well established that combination of heavy drinking and smoking has severe health consequences. However, at relatively low concentrations, both alcohol and nicotine may have beneficial effects including neuroprotection. Thus, protective effects of low alcohol concentration against beta-amyloid-induced toxicity in organotypic hippocampal slices and protective effects of nicotine against salsolinol-induced toxicity in humanderived neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) have been reported. In this study, we sought to determine whether alcohol might also be protective against salsolinol-induced toxicity in SH-SY5Y cells and whether the combination of low doses of alcohol and nicotine might have an additive or synergistic effect. Pre-exposure of SH-SY5Y cells to either ethanol (1 or 10 mM) or nicotine (20 or 50 μM) significantly attenuated salsolinol-induced toxicity. However, contrary to the expectation the combination of low doses of alcohol and nicotine not only did not provide any synergistic or additive protective effect, but exacerbated salsolinol-induced toxicity. Indeed, simple combination of low alcohol and nicotine resulted in significant toxicity in SH-SY5Y cells. This toxicity, reflected in a reduction in cell viability was associated with an increase in apoptosis as determined by caspase-3 measurement. These in vitro results suggest that combination of even low concentrations of alcohol and nicotine may activate apoptotic mechanisms that can lead to cell toxicity and detrimental consequences.