Nicotine-Mediated Redox and Nitrosative Stress in Cardiorenal Health
Abstract
Nicotine exposure is increasingly widespread due to the expansion of the use of noncombustible tobacco and nicotine-replacement products; yet nicotine is still being framed as an addictive but relatively benign compound. This review synthesizes clinical and experimental evidence linking nicotine exposure to cardiorenal disease, emphasizing that risks persist after cessation. We discuss here a central novel concept that damage caused by nicotine in tissues is not determined solely by receptor signaling, as nicotine exists in chemical forms capable of strong receptor-independent membrane diffusion. Mechanistically, we highlight convergent pathways of nicotine-induced cellular injury, focusing on redox stress and underscoring major limitations in the field, such as the lack of studies in epithelial cells. We further emphasize the emerging paradigm that links nicotine and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) biology, in which reduced nitric oxide bioavailability, NOS uncoupling, and peroxynitrite-mediated protein nitration represent underappreciated drivers of persistent cardiorenal injury in response to nicotine. Finally, we outline gaps and research priorities needed to identify therapeutic strategies that specifically mitigate nicotine-driven oxidative and nitrosative injury in vulnerable populations with hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Tobacco and COPD: presenting the World Health Organization (WHO) Tobacco Knowledge Summary
- Comparative effects of e-cigarette smoking on periodontal status, salivary pH, and cotinine levels
- Association between exposure to environmental pollutants and increased oral health risks, a comprehensive review
- Influence of gestational window on offspring vascular health in rodents with in utero exposure to electronic cigarettes
- Natural products as kinase inhibitors in lung cancer: molecular mechanisms, therapeutic potential, and clinical trials
- Nicotine in electronic cigarettes
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.