The Effect of Tobacco Smoke on Protein Synthesis in Macrophages 1

Abstract

Summary

The results of short-term experiments suggest that exposure to cigarette smoke severely inhibits protein synthesis in macrophages. However, when macrophages are exposed to low levels of cigarette smoke for longer periods, both protein and RNA synthesis show marked increases. These data support electron microscopic evidence of active protein synthesis in alveolar macrophages from human smokers' lungs, and suggest that macrophages have the capacity to adapt to toxic changes in their environment.