Nicotine modulates growth factors and microRNA to promote inflammatory and fibrotic processes.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal disease that destroys the structure and function of the lungs. Risk factors include advanced age and genetic predisposition. However, tobacco use is the chief modifiable risk factor. The prevalence of tobacco use in IPF reaches up to 80%. Although tobacco smoke contains over 5,000 chemicals, nicotine is a major component. Nicotine is a bioactive molecule that acts upon nicotinic acetylcholine receptors expressed on neuronal and non-neuronal cells including endothelial cells. Accordingly, it has pleiotropic effect including on cell proliferation and angiogenesis. The angiogenic effect is partly mediated by stimulation of growth factors including FGF, PDGF, and VEGF. Nintedanib, FDA-approved drug for IPF, works by inhibiting receptors for these growth factors suggesting pathobiologic role of the growth factors in IPF, and a potential mechanism by which tobacco use may exacerbate the disease process. Additionally, nicotine downregulates anti-inflammatory microRNAs (miRs) in lung cells. Here, we profiled the expression of miRs in lung tissues explanted from lung injury model and examined the effect of nicotine on one of the identified miRs (miR-24) and its downstream targets. Our data shows that miR-24 is downregulated during lung injury and is suppressed by nicotine. We also found that nicotine upregulates the expression of inflammatory cytokines targeted by miR-24. Finally, nicotine stimulated growth factors, fibroblast proliferation, collagen release and expression of myofibroblast markers. Taken together, nicotine, alone or as component of tobacco smoke, may accelerate the disease process in IPF through stimulation of growth factors and downregulation of anti-inflammatory miRs.