Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic progressive lung disease without effective medical treatment options leading to respiratory failure and death within 3-5years of diagnosis. The pathological process of PF is driven by aberrant wound-healing involving fibroblasts and myofibroblasts differentiated by secreted profibrotic transforming growth factor β (TGF-β1). Classical transient receptor potential 6 (TRPC6), a Na- and Ca-permeable cation channel, is able to promote myofibroblast conversion of primary rat cardiac and human dermal fibroblasts and TRPC6-deficiency impaired wound healing after injury. To study a potential role of TRPC6 in the development of PF we analyzed lung function, gene and protein expression in wild-type (WT) and TRPC6-deficient (TRPC6-/-) lungs utilizing a bleomycin-induced PF-model. Fibrotic WT-mice showed a significant higher death rate while bleomycin-treated TRPC6-deficient mice were partly protected from fibrosis as a consequence of a lower production of collagen and an almost normal function of the respiratory system (reduced resistance and elastance compared to fibrotic WT-mice). On a molecular level TGF-β1 induced TRPC6 up-regulation, increased Ca influx and nuclear NFAT localization in WT primary murine lung fibroblasts (PMLFs) resulting in higher stress fiber formation and accelerated contraction rates as compared to treated TRPC6-deficient fibroblasts. Therefore, we conclude that TRPC6 is an important determinant for TGF-β1-induced myofibroblast differentiation during fibrosis and specific channel inhibitors might be beneficial in a future treatment of PF.

Myosmine has been regarded as a specific tobacco alkaloid until investigations pointed out that nuts and nut products constitute a significant source of myosmine. In the present study it is shown that the occurrence of myosmine is widespread throughout a large number of plant families. Using a method for extraction practicable for all examined foods, quantitative analysis through internal standard addition showed nanograms per gram amounts. Positively tested edibles were staple foods such as maize, rice, wheat flour, millet, potato, and milk and also cocoa, popcorn, tomato, carrot, pineapple, kiwi, and apples. No myosmine was detectable in other vegetables and fruits such as lettuce, spinach, cucumber, onion, banana, tangerines, and grapes. Myosmine is easily nitrosated giving rise to a DNA adduct identical to the esophageal tobacco carcinogen N-nitrosonornicotine. Therefore, the role of dietary myosmine in esophageal adenocarcinoma should be further investigated.

Myosmine is not only one of the minor tobacco alkaloids but is also present in various foods. Therefore, research on myosmine metabolism and activation has been intensified. 3-Pyridylacetic acid, 4-oxo-4-(3-pyridyl)butanoic acid (keto acid), 3-pyridylmethanol, 3'-hydroxymyosmine, and 4-hydroxy-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (HPB) have been identified as urinary metabolites after oral administration to female Wistar rats. Although N-nitrosation of myosmine, yielding N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) and HPB, was considered as a possible in vivo activation route, the formation pathways of most metabolites could not be explained until now. Therefore, under consideration of its high reactivity due to its imine structure, peroxidation of myosmine seemed to be a promising additional activation pathway. In vitro peroxidation using myosmine (8.9 micromol in 200 microL methanol) with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide (57.6 micromol, 5 microL of a 35% solution) and acetic acid anhydride (106 micromol, 10 microL) already showed high yields of reaction products after 30 min ultrasonic treatment. The product pattern was analyzed by HPLC/UV and GC/MS. Besides unchanged myosmine, 3-pyridylacetic acid, keto acid, 3-pyridylmethanol, HPB, and nornicotyrine have been identified as myosmine peroxidation products. Different product patterns were obtained after 24 h and 4 days due to a time-dependent degradation, formation, and conversion of the reaction products. Therefore, peroxidation reaction of myosmine might explain the in vivo formation of 3-pyridylacetic acid, keto acid, 3-pyridylmethanol, and HPB in rats. In addition, because of acetylating conditions using acetic acid anhydride, N-(4-oxo-4-pyridin-3-yl-butyl)acetamide was rapidly formed during the first 30 min of the reaction.

Myosmine is one of the major tobacco-specific pyridine-containing alkaloids. It is also a metabolite of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine N-nitrosonornicotine. In the present study it is shown that the occurrence of myosmine is not restricted to the tobacco plant. Using a newly developed method for extraction and quantitative analysis, myosmine was detected in samples of peanuts (Arachus hypogaea) and hazelnuts (Corylus avellana) in ng/g amounts. Therefore, consumption of nuts and nut products is a new as yet unknown source for human myosmine exposure. Investigations of the toxicological impact of myosmine uptake by humans are warranted. Keywords: Myosmine; tobacco alkaloid; peanut, hazelnut; GC-MS analysis

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