Effect of a volatile smoke component (acrolein) on human gingival fibroblasts: An in vitro study

Tobacco and some of its volatile and non-volatile components have been found to affect many types of cells including human gingival fibroblasts. The aim of this present study was to estimate the effect of acrolein, a volatile fraction of cigarette smoke on the attachment, proliferation and ultra structure of human gingival fibroblasts in culture.

Human gingival fibroblasts strains obtained from healthy subjects aged 20-30 years, were grown to confluency and utilized between 3(rd) -6(th) passages. The cell cultures seeded in 96 well microtitration plates at a density of 45,000 cells/well were incubated with acrolein at concentrations of 10(-4), 3×10(-5) and 10(-5) . Attachment ability was evaluated after three hours using Neubauer hemocytometer. For the proliferation assay cell cultures seeded at a density of 10,000 cells/well were incubated at concentrations of 10(-4), 3×10(-5), 10(-5), 3×10(-6), 10(-6) and cell count determined after 5 days using a hemocytometer. Cell morphology was examined under phase contrast microscope.

Acrolein produced a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect on human gingival fibroblasts with complete inhibition of attachment and proliferation at higher concentrations.

This supports the hypothesis that cigarette smoke is a great risk factor in the development and progression of periodontal disease.