Tobacco.org

The influence of nicotine on granulocytic differentiation - inhibition of the oxidative burst and bacterial killing and increased matrix metalloprotein 

Neutrophils leave the bone marrow as terminally differentiated cells, yet little is known of the influence of nicotine or other tobacco smoke components on neutrophil differentiation. . . .

Conclusions: These findings may partially explain the known increase in susceptibility to bacterial infection and neutrophil-associated destructive inflammatory diseases in individuals chronically exposed to nicotine.

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