Tobacco Documents Online

Memorandum To: Dr. S.C. Sommers and Staff From: D.H. Ford Re: Site Visit with Dr. Ingegard Keith, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI October 23, 1987 Grant No. 1437 entitled "Lung Neuroendocrine Cell Innervation and Transplacental Exposure to Smoke." History: Dr. Keith was previously a part of the James Will group at Madison and initiated her own grant support in 1982, for a three year period. This was not renewed after this one three-year period. However, Dr. Keith has continued to investigate the effect of prenatal exposure to smoke on the development of neuroendocrine cells (APUD cells) in the lung. Recent Investigations: Two new areas of research have been pursued by Dr. Keith. One deals with the induction of cytochrome p450 in Type II alveolar cells, endothelial cells, Clara cells and in some macrophages by exposure to phenobarbitol or 3-methylcholanthrene in the rat, as identified by immunocytochemistry. Interestingly, this response was augmented if the animals were exposed to a respiratory anesthesia prior to exposure to a xenobiotic. Question: How long does the effect from an exposure to anesthetic gas last; hours, days, weeks? Does it also occur in man? A second area of interest relates to the smooth muscle cushions found in coronary arteries at junction points. Do they play a role in regulating blood flow? Are they effected by nicotine or smoke exposure? Dr. Keith is considering submitting a letter of inquiry to the Council for consideration of one of these two topics. Dr. Keith still has the smoking machine lent to her by the Council and is using it to determine the effects of prenatal smoke exposure on the APUD system of cells in the hamster lung. Further, are such offspring more sensitive to exposure to xenobiotics as adults than animals not exposed to smoke constituents prenatally? Thus, Dr. Keith has continued her studies on nicotine/smoke exposure after her three years of support by the Council and has published 5 papers on lung cellular function, as well as others. DHF