Nicotine-responsive genes in cultured embryonic mouse lung buds: interaction of nicotine and superoxide dismutase.

Nicotine exposure during prenatal development may be a cause of the abnormal lung function seen in infants born to smoking women. Previously we used an organ culture system to demonstrate that nicotine directly affects branching morphogenesis and gene expression in embryonic mouse lung buds. Here we attempt to identify genes potentially involved in the nicotine response and explore the relationship between gene expression changes and stimulation of branching.