EFFECT OF NICOTINE IN MIGRATION AND PROLIFERATION OF RABBIT GASTRIC-MUCOSAL CELLS IN A CULTURE CELL MODEL

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of nicotine on the gas tric epithelial restoration using primary cultured rabbit gastric muco sal cell model. Confluent monolayer mucosal cell sheets consisting of mainly mucous cells were wounded using a rotating silicon tip. The pro cess of restoration was monitored, and the size of wound was measured and analysed quantitatively. Artificial wounds recovered in 36 h in co ntrols. The nicotine treatment (10(-5), 10(-4) and 10(-3) mol/L) did n ot cause any effects on the process of wound repair. Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) positive cells appeared around the wound 24-36 h after injury and then disappeared after I:he complete repair in controls and also i n nicotine-treated groups. However, in the morphological observation, numerous vacuoles were detected in parietal cells of nicotine-treated groups. This effect of nicotine was reversible by removing nicotine fr om the medium. Present data suggest that nicotine has no direct effect s on the mucosal restoration but might have an effect on the structure and function of parietal cells.