Inhaled tobacco sterols: uptake by the lungs and disposition to selected organs of rats

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · J. Lab. Clin. Med.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6769758

Holden, W E; Maier, J M; Liebler, J M; Malinow, M R

Tobacco sterols (cholesterol, beta-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol) are present in tobacco smoke and appear in plasma of mammals exposed to cigarette smoke. Because tobacco sterols may be important in the pathogenesis of smoking-induced lung and vascular diseases, we studied the pattern of deposition of cigarette sterols in the lungs and appearance of cigarette sterols in plasma and body organs of rats. After exposure to twenty 5 ml puffs of smoke from tobacco labeled with (4-/sup 14/C)cholesterol or beta-(4-/sup 14/C)sitosterol, rats were killed just after exposure (day 0) and on days 2, 5, 8, 11, 15, and 30, and the lungs and selected body organs analyzed for activity. We found that cigarette sterols are associated with particulates in cigarette smoke, deposited mostly in distal airspaces and parenchyma of the lungs, and appear in plasma and several body organs for more than 30 days after this single exposure to cigarette smoke. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid contained relatively small amounts of radiolabel for only the first few days, suggesting that most of the sterols were rapidly incorporated in lung parenchyma. Because disorders of sterol metabolism have been implicated in a variety of diseases including atherosclerosis and cancer, the significance of tobacco sterols to human smoking-induced diseases deserves further study.

• Research Organization: Portland Veterans Administration Medical Center, OR (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6769758
• Journal Information: J. Lab. Clin. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Lab. Clin. Med.; (United States) Vol. 112:2; ISSN JLCMA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550901* -- Pathology-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AEROSOLS
ANIMALS
BODY
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CHOLESTEROL
COLLOIDS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
DISTRIBUTION
ESOPHAGUS
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
GLANDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INHALATION
INTAKE
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LIVER
MAMMALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PARTICLES
PARTICULATES
PATHOGENESIS
RATS
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
RODENTS
SMOKES
SOLS
SPLEEN
STEROIDS
STEROLS
STOMACH
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TOBACCO SMOKES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
UPTAKE
VASCULAR DISEASES
VERTEBRATES