Novel methods of researchers to identify such as cigarette smoke affects smokers

Smoke from cigarettes can promote cell damage almost every organ in the body, causing inflammation influence, but no one has understood, what smoking is or is not susceptible to disease development.

At the American Association for cancer research (AACR) 102nd Annual General meeting 2011, however researchers from Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, a part of the Georgetown University Medical Center, demonstrates how cigarette smoke produced different "metabolites" or active biological compounds, individual smokers, compared to non-smoking.

In their pilot study, she found analyzes hundreds of metabolites in the blood and urine of nine smokers and 10 non-smoking. Researchers reduced its focus on the top 50 metabolites in smokers and non-smoking, differed by group. In the Group of smokers varies the amount of nicotine-related metabolites. In addition, metabolic profiles of total male and female varies. The reproducibility of the method checks the researchers to ensure that the experiments gave low variability.

"This gives us an idea of which, such as people metabolites other produce in the smoking of cigarettes, which is based on their specific genetic profile and other biological and ecological factors," says the study principal investigator, Ping-Ching Hsu, doctoral student in the laboratory Oncology working researchers of Peter shields, M.d., which specialized in tobacco carcinogenesis, and occasionally serves as an expert in tobacco-related litigation against cigarette manufacturers. Shields is the senior author.

This study the "Metabolome" of individual smokers, to identify, to available references to both the specific effects of cigarette smoking on human biology, and can make as individuals vary in their internal reaction to the smoke.

The ultimate aim of this study, which is part of the extensive research project, is to find biomarkers in smokers, which says for the development of the disease in smokers, predictions Hsu. It also helps the development of blood samples, allowing researchers to of assessing the harmfulness of a tobacco product in comparison to others.

A metabolite is produced, if not in the body - such as food, tobacco smoking, alcohol or medicine - taken more or broken by chemicals that produce a biological function of metabolic pathways. The global Metabolome is the network of metabolic reactions and metabolomics analysis is the Metabolome at any given time.

Comparatively, have only cigarette manufacturer was needed, to machines that use "derive cigarettes of the chemical composition of possible carcinogens smoked". "Metabolomics provides a comprehensive picture of what is happening in the body of smokers," says Hsu.

This is the second study presented by the AACR Hsu at a Conference. In November, she reported the results of a study, which investigated and found that several biological pathways change smoking behavior could the blood "Metabolomics" profile of light to heavy smokers.

The study was funded by the American Lung Association. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Source:
Karen Mallet
Georgetown University Medical Center