Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Female smokers may have increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Women may be biologically more susceptible to the harmful effects of cigarette smoke (CS) compared with men, which may in part be related to xenobiotic metabolism. Toxic chemicals in CS can be metabolized into less harmful substances and excreted out of our body via two key steps: oxidation (through Phase I enzymes such as cytochrome P450) and conjugation (through Phase II enzymes via attachment of water soluble species). Xenobiotic metabolism can paradoxically lead to increased oxidant stress (and airway damage) if Phase I enzymes are up-regulated without a parallel increase in Phase II enzymes by producing intermediate products that are as toxic or even more toxic than the parent compound (this is called bio-activation). We sought to determine the effects of estrogen on Phase I and II metabolism of cigarette smoke (CS) in normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells.