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Review
. 2019 Aug;51(4):259-276.
doi: 10.1007/s10863-019-09800-z. Epub 2019 Jun 13.

Mitochondria as a possible target for nicotine action

Affiliations
Review

Mitochondria as a possible target for nicotine action

Dominika Malińska et al. J Bioenerg Biomembr. 2019 Aug.

Abstract

Mitochondria are multifunctional and dynamic organelles deeply integrated into cellular physiology and metabolism. Disturbances in mitochondrial function are involved in several disorders such as neurodegeneration, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, and also in the aging process. Nicotine is a natural alkaloid present in the tobacco plant which has been well studied as a constituent of cigarette smoke. It has also been reported to influence mitochondrial function both in vitro and in vivo. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the present knowledge of nicotine action on mitochondrial function. Observed effects of nicotine exposure on the mitochondrial respiratory chain, oxidative stress, calcium homeostasis, mitochondrial dynamics, biogenesis, and mitophagy are discussed, considering the context of the experimental design. The potential action of nicotine on cellular adaptation and cell survival is also examined through its interaction with mitochondria. Although a large number of studies have demonstrated the impact of nicotine on various mitochondrial activities, elucidating its mechanism of action requires further investigation.

Keywords: adaptation; mitochondria; nicotine; oxidative stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

This work was funded by Philip Morris Product SA (a member of Philip Morris International Group of Companies). Marco Van der Toorn, Karsta Luettich, Julia Hoeng, Manuel C. Peitsch and Carole Mathis are PMI employees.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Summary of experimental evidence regarding the effects of nicotine on mitochondrial physiology from in vitro (isolated mitochondria) and in situ (mitochondria in intact cells) studies

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