Effect of aqueous cigarette smoke extract on the chemiluminescence kinetics of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and on their glycolytic and phagocytic activity

Water-soluble extracts of cigarette smoke are easily formed in some body co mpartments, such as saliva or fluid lining alveolar spaces, and can act on both cellular and extracellular compartments. In this paper we have analyse d the effect of aqueous smoke extract on some metabolic and functional aspe cts of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. In particular, the following cellular aspects were studied: chemiluminescence, glycolysis, membrane fluidity and microscopic interaction with zymosan particles. While chemiluminescence and glycolytic activity are highly inhibited, no effect of smoke extract on me mbrane fluidity was observed. Moreover, the response of luminol-dependent c hemiluminescence was significantly delayed, while that of lucigenin-depende nt chemiluminescence was anticipated. Furthermore, the phagocytic ability o f neutrophils pretreated with aqueous smoke extract was also significantly hindered. All these results might indicate that the finely tuned activity o f polymorphonuclear leukocytes is somehow hampered by the aqueous extract o f cigarette smoke in a way which makes these cells less effective against b acteria and more noxious towards surrounding tissues. Copyright (C) 2001 Jo hn Wiley & Sons, Ltd.