Nicotine inhibits apoptosis induced by chemotherapeutic drugs by up-regulating XIAP and survivin.

ABSTRACT: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) demonstrates a strong etiologic association with smoking. Although nicotine is not carcinogenic, it can induce cell proliferation and angiogenesis and suppress apoptosis induced by certain agents. Here we show that nicotine inhibits apoptosis induced by the drugs gemcitabine, cisplatin, and taxol, which are used to treat NSCLCs. This protection correlated with the induction of XIAP and survivin by nicotine in a panel of human NSCLC cell lines, and depletion of XIAP and survivin ablated the protective effects of nicotine. The antiapoptotic effects of nicotine were mediated by dihydro beta-erythroidine-sensitive alpha3-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and required the Akt pathway. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that nicotine s

SUBMITTER: Dasgupta P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1458878 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature