Rudolf Leuchtenberger

Differential cytological and cytochemical responses of various cultures from mouse tissues to repeated exposures to puffs from the gas phase of charcoal-filtered fresh cigarette smoke

Abstract Repeated exposure to puffs of the gas phase of charcoal-filtered fresh cigarette smoke did not evoke a significant alteration of growth in primary kidney tissue and embryonic lung organ cultures from Snells mice. There was also no effect on Snell primary lung explants, and on their outgrowing macrophages and epithelioid cells. There was, however, an effect on 3T3 cells, in that exposed 3T3 cultures showed an enhancement of growth, of mitotic index, and of cellular atypism, including variations in DNA content. In none of the exposed cultures was a morphological cell transformation observed.

Differential response of snell's and c57 black mice to chronic inhalation of cigarette smoke. Pulmonary carcinogenesis and vascular alterations in lung and heart.

There was a marked difference in response to chronic inhalation of cigarette smoke between Snell’s and C57 Black mice. After inhaling whole cigarette smoke or its gas vapor phase, Snell’s mice disclosed a higher frequency and earlier occurrence of lung adenocarcinomas than controls, while C57 Black mice did not develop lung adenocarcinomas. On the other hand, after inhalation of whole cigarette smoke, C57 Black mice disclosed a higher frequency of vascular changes in lung and heart, while there was no such effect in Snell’s mice. Since Snell’s controls developed spontaneous lung adenocarcinomas but no vascular alterations while C57 Black controls had no spontaneous lung cancers but vascular changes, the results indicate an enhancing effect of cigarette smoke on existing abnormalities in these two strains.

The Behaviour of Macrophages in Lung Cultures after Exposure to Cigarette Smoke. Evidence for Selective Inhibition by Particulate Matter and Stimulation by the Gas Phase of Cell Metabolism of Alveolar Macrophages

In contrast to the extensive experimental work on the biological activity of cigarette smoke condensates or extracts, there are few experimental investigations concerned with the biological effects of fresh native cigarette smoke itself on animals, tissues or cells. Data obtained with fresh cigarette smoke would appear to be more directly related to the important problem of the role of cigarette smoking in the genesis of pathologic changes in humans than data obtained with cigarette smoke condensates or extracts. For a number of years, therefore, we have used two types of model systems: 1 Inhalation studies in mice with fresh cigarette smoke (1,2). 2 Exposure of mouse cell, tissue and organ cultures to puffs of fresh cigarette smoke (3,4,5).

Cytological and Cytochemical Effects of Whole Smoke and of the Gas Vapor Phase from Marihuana Cigarettes on Growth and DNA Metabolism of Cultured Mammalian Cells

Even though during the last decade smoking marihuana cigarettes has become widespread, with the exception of its hallucinogenic effects relatively little information is available regarding biological effects of the marihuana smoke on tissues, cells, and their metabolism. We considered an experimental investigation necessary especially to examine the following questions: 1. Does marihuana smoke alter the respiratory system; in particular, does long-term exposure contribute to or evoke pulmonary carcinogenesis? 2. Does marihuana smoke disturb DNA metabolism in somatic and germ cells; that is, does marihuana smoke interfere with the genetic material? 3. If alterations are demonstrable, are the responsible chemical constituents in the particulate or in the gas vapor phase of the marihuana smoke?

Difference in response to vitamin C between marihuana and tobacco smoke exposed human cell cultures.

Summary Marihuana smoke evoked in normal human lung and human breast cancer cultures (SK-Br-3) a significantly higher frequency of mitotic abnormalities than did tobacco smoke, regardless of whether the cultures were grown in the absence or the presence of vitamin C. The response to vitamin C of marihuana smoke exposed breast cancer cultures was completely different from that of tobacco smoke exposed ones. While in the tobacco smoke exposed cultures vitamin C caused a reduction of mitotic abnormalities and led to differentiation, these features were completely absent in marihuana smoke exposed cultures. In marihuana smoke exposed cultures vitamin C accelerated not only the abnormal growth, but also the dedifferentiation of the breast cancer cells.