In vitro effects of nicotine on the non-small-cell lung cancer line A549

Objective: To investigate in vitro effects of nicotine on the non-small-cell lung cancer line A549. Methods: The case-control study was conducted at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from 1st January to 30th June, 2014 and comprised A549 cells which were treated with a series of concentrations of nicotine (0.01 mu M, 0.1 mu M, 1 mu Mand 10 mu M) for 24 hours. Control cells were incubated under the same conditions without the addition of nicotine. Cell growth was detected by monotetrazolium salt [3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-5-(3carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium] assay. Cell apoptosis was detected by Haematoxylin and Eosin staining, immunofluorescence analysis of Filamentous actin and electron microscope observation. Results: Nicotine had no significant effect on A549 cell growth at the dose of 0.01 mu M (p>0.05), but had significant growth inhibitory effects at the doses of 0.1 mu M, 1 mu Mand 10 mu M(p<0.05 each). A significant decrease in cell numbers was observed on staining (p<0.05). Significant changes in the size and shape of cells and concomitant changes in cytoskeletons and organelles were observed by immunofluorescence and electron microscope observation (p<0.05). Conclusion: The growth inhibitory effects of nicotine on A549 cells were found to be dose-dependent.