The oxidative effect of nicotine was investigated using androgen biomarkers of redox status and wound healing in fibroblasts; using the antioxidant glutathione for confirmation of responses. Cultures of human gingival (HGF) and periosteal fibroblasts (HPF) were incubated with substrates 14C-testosterone/14C-4-androstenedione in the presence or absence of serial concentrations of nicotine (N100-500), glutathione (G1–5) and their combinations, in medium. At 24 h the medium was solvent extracted for metabolites, separated by TLC and quantified using radioisotope scanning. Nicotine caused significant inhibition in yields of the physiologically active metabolite 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in HGF and HPF, overcome to varying degrees by the anti-oxidant glutathione (n = 6; p<0.01, one way ANOVA); this is suggestive of moderation of an oxidative mechanism induced by nicotine. Down-regulation of 5α-reductase activity by nicotine resulting in reduced yields of DHT was overcome by glutathione. Overcoming oxidative stress in a redox environment is applicable to treatment outcome.
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