Effect of acute smoke exposure on hepatic protein synthesis

In vivo hepatic protein synthesis was monitored in female rats under control and smoke-exposed conditions. During the 15 min period after i.v. administration of [3H]proline protein synthesis was 206 +/- 35 nmol of proline per mg of DNA for sham-control animals. When animals were subjected to acute exposure to cigarette smoke, protein synthesis was inhibited and the extent of inhibition was positively correlated with the dosage of smoke (32%, 15 puffs; 66%, 60 puffs). The inhibitory effect of whole smoke on protein synthesis was unaltered by passing the smoke through either charcoal or cambridge filters. Carbon monoxide in smoke is not removed by either type of filter. At a level comparable to that in cigarette smoke carbon monoxide depressed hepatic protein synthesis to the same extent as did whole or filtered smoke.