The Effect of Smoking on Endothelin-1 in Patients With Chronic Pancreatitis

Abstract

The aim of this study is to prove the influence of tobacco smoking on the endothelin-1 (ET-1) level in the plasma and on the immunohistochemical localization in the pancreatic tissues. The blood was collected from 50 healthy individuals and 63 patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP). The ET-1 and cotinine concentrations in the plasma were estimated by ELISA. Samples of tissues of the normal pancreas and CP were verified histopathologically, and then ET-1 was localized by immunohistochemical staining using the monoclonal anti-human ET-1 antibody. The intensity of immunohistochemical reaction was calculated with the semiquantitative Digital Imaging Methodology. The study demonstrated a significant concentration of ET-1 in smoking healthy individuals and in patients with CP when compared with the nonsmoking population (P=0.003 and 0.0005, respectively). A significantly stronger immunohistochemical ET-1 reaction was observed in the tissue of smoking patients with CP than in the normal pancreatic tissue and of nonsmoking CP patients (P=0.001, 0.008, and 0.03, respectively). The presented data evidence that tobacco smoking has a direct effect on the endothelium, leading to an increased level of ET-1.

The impact of smoking on the development of diabetes and its complications

“…23 Substances present in the tobacco smoke are associated with free radical processes, which undoubtedly lead to endothelial dysfunction characterized by decreased production or availability of nitric oxide associated with overproduction of endothelin-1 (ET-1). 14,15,103 The imbalance between nitric oxide and endothelin, induced by smoking, increases vascular inflammation, which in turn predisposes to atherosclerosis. 104 The role of genetic predisposition in the inflammatory response in smokers is not entirely clear.…”

“…[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] Although smoking is known to decrease body weight, it is associated with central obesity. 13 Substances present in tobacco smoke undoubtedly trigger free radical processes, interfere with vascular homeostasis and proper functioning of the vascular endothelium, 14,15 and also increase inflammation/oxidative stress, 16 in addition to directly damaging β-cell function. 17 A growing body of the literature has shown links between tobacco use and the development of diabetes.…”

Smoking induced pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer

“…These changes paralleled adaptations in pancreatic structure and altered endocrine function of the organ resulting from smoking (74). A further study looked at immunohistochemical localization of somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide (two hormones that regulate secretion) in the pancreas of smoking and nonsmoking patients with CP versus healthy controls (99). In pancreatic samples from smoking patients, significantly higher immunostaining of the hormones was detected, suggesting that tobacco smoking may partake in endocrine disturbances during CP development.…”

“…Secretion: Several studies have assessed the effects of tobacco smoking on factors that affect both endocrine and exocrine pancreatic secretion in smokers versus non-smokers (56,99). Numerous publications indicate there is decreased insulin secretion in both smoking patients and smokers with CP, and higher blood glucose levels were detected in the latter (59,74,119).…”

“…In light of the medical evidence linking tobacco smoking and pancreatitis, closer attention has been paid to smoking-induced changes in pancreatic tissue from patients enrolled in such studies (53,56,60,98,99,102,112). Some of those changes are highlighted below.…”