Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator modulation by the tobacco smoke toxin acrolein

Objectives/Hypothesis: Evidence indicates that decreased mucociliary clearance (MCC) is a major contributing feature to chronic rhinosinusitis. Tobacco-smoke exposure is thought to inhibit transepithelial Cl- secretion, a major determinant of airway surface liquid hydration and MCC. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of acrolein exposure (a prominent tobacco smoke toxin) on vectorial Cl- transport through the major apical anion channel cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in sinonasal epithelium. Study Design: In vitro investigation. Methods: Primary murine nasal septal epithelia (MNSE; wild-type and transgenic CFTR-/-) cultures were exposed to acrolein in Ussing chambers and the effects on Cl- secretion investigated using pharmacologic manipulation. Cellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling and cytotoxicity were also investigated. Results: Acrolein stimulated Cl- secretion (?ISCchange in short-circuit current in mu A/cm2) at concentrations similar to smoker's airways (100 mu M, 15.8 +/- 2.2 vs. 2.4 +/- 0.8 [control]; P < .0001), suppressed forskolin-stimulated C- transport at 300 mu M (13.3 +/- 1.2 vs. 19.9 +/- 1.0; P < .01), and completely abolished all transport at 500 mu M (-1.1 +/- 1.6). Stimulated Cl- secretion was solely reliant upon the presence of CFTR (confirmed in transgenic CFTR-/- MNSE), but independent of cAMP signaling. Inhibition at higher concentrations was not secondary to cellular cytotoxicity. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that acrolein has complex but pronounced interaction with the major apical Cl- transport mechanism that uses CFTR. Further investigations are required to determine acrolein's impact as a tobacco smoke constituent on mucociliary transport.