Heterogeneity studies of hamster calcitonin following acute exposure to cigarette smoke: Evidence for monomeric secretion

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1-1-1993

Journal

The Anatomical Record

Volume

236

Issue

1

DOI

10.1002/ar.1092360131

Keywords

Hemocrine secretion; HPLC; Hypercalcitonemia; Nicotine; Paracrine secretion; Pulmonary neuroendocrine cells; RIA

Abstract

Various acute stimuli, including cigarette smoke, induce hypercalcitonemia in man and hamsters. We have shown that this occurs also in thyroidectomized subjects. In the present study we have further explored this phenomenon of secretion from the lungs by studying, simultaneously, the HPLC characteristics of pulmonary tissue and serum in control hamsters and in animals immediately following short‐term exposure to cigarette smoke. In addition, we have studied the immunoheterogeneity of lung calcitonin 24 hours following the acute exposure. Control lungs contained monomeric immunoreactive calcitonin (M‐iCT), high molecular mass iCT (H‐iCT), and CT fragments. Immediately following smoke exposure, there was an acute decrease of lung iCT by radioimmunoassay (RIA) which consisted primarily of a decrease in M‐iCT by HPLC. Simultaneously, the iCT increase in the serum by RIA was shown by HPLC to involve M‐iCT. Twenty‐four hours after smoke inhalation, the lung iCT by RIA and M‐iCT by HPLC had returned towards control levels. These findings document the molecular characteristics of lung iCT following acute cigarette smoke stimulation, and suggest that under certain circumstances M‐iCT may be actively secreted by the lung. It remains to be determined whether this type of secretion reflects hemocrine or paracrine release and what the physiological role for such a secretion may be. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Copyright © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

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