Inhibition of human lymphokine-activated killer activity by smokeless tobacco (snuff) extract

Chronic snuff dipping has been associated with oral cancer in man and experimental animals. Here, the effects of a water-extract of snuff on the in-vitro development of human lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) activity were examined. The snuff extract inhibited both LAK cytotoxicity and DNA synthesis...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of oral biology Vol. 33; no. 5; p. 317
Main Authors: Lindemann, R A, Park, N H
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England 1988
Subjects:
Cytotoxicity, Immunologic - drug effects
DNA - biosynthesis
Humans
Interleukin-2 - pharmacology
Killer Cells, Natural - immunology
Killer Cells, Natural - metabolism
Lymphocyte Activation
Plant Extracts - pharmacology
Tobacco, Smokeless
ISSN:0003-9969
Online Access:Get more information
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Chronic snuff dipping has been associated with oral cancer in man and experimental animals. Here, the effects of a water-extract of snuff on the in-vitro development of human lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) activity were examined. The snuff extract inhibited both LAK cytotoxicity and DNA synthesis in a dose-dependent fashion at concentrations of 0.125 to 2.0 per cent; above 2.0 per cent, cell viability decreased significantly. In contrast, the snuff extract had no effect on natural killer-cell cytotoxicity when incubated with fresh peripheral blood lymphocytes in a standard 4 h assay, or on LAK cytotoxicity when incubated only during the final 4 h effector phase. Lymphocyte protein synthesis was generally unaffected by the addition of this extract. Thus, a water-soluble snuff extract appears to suppress LAK activity by inhibiting DNA synthesis. Altered LAK function in the oral mucosa might permit the development of snuff-associated carcinogenesis.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 23
ISSN:0003-9969
DOI:10.1016/0003-9969(88)90064-7