A brief review on cigarette induced cellular damage

Abstract

Cigarette smoking has become one of the most common addictions in context to the present scenario of tobacco consumption. Comprising of nearly 7000 chemicals, cigarette smoke have both free radicals and oxidizing agents in both smoke tar and gas phase, both of which can cause oxidative stress in human health. Long time smoking causes decreased serum immunoglobulin level but increased level of auto– antibodies. During chronic oxidative stress resulting from cigarette smoking, cells secrete mucus and increased viscosity of mucus in airways makes it susceptible to bacterial infection. Furthermore, chronic exposure of lungs to tobacco smoke causes unfolded protein response, ER stress and altered ceramide metabolism. Apart from the above mentioned facts, Cigarette smoking can also cause senescence resulting in abnormal wound healing that exaggerates pathogenesis of COPD. Although there are several management therapies available for COPD management, but the permanent cellular damages due to smoking are irreparable and results in disease exaggeration and suffering.