Bradykinin-induced increase in the intracellular concentration of free calcium evokes an activation of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) enzyme, producing nitric oxide (NO). Cigarette smoke inhibits the eNOS-NO-cGMP signaling pathway. The pathomechanism of this deleterious effect of smoke on NO production is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of gas phase smoke trapped in a buffer (smoke buffer, SB) on the bradykinin-induced calcium increase in cultured endothelial cells. FURA-2-AM was used to detect bradykinin-induced calcium increase. A sensitive, fluorescent method using O-phthaldialdehyde was used for the determination of intracellular reduced glutathione (GSH) and protein-thiol levels. SB caused a time- and concentration-dependent inhibition of bradykinin-induced calcium increase. Formaldehyde, a component of SB, inhibited bradykinin-induced calcium increase in concentrations characteristic for SB. SB decreased both the intracellular GSH (0.22 +/- 0.06 vs. 2.23 +/- 0.32 mumol/g protein, SB vs. control, p < .001) and protein-thiol levels (4.98 +/- 0.54 vs. 7.31 +/- 0.97 microEqu GSH/g protein, SB vs. control, p < .05) in the endothelial cells. Intracellular GSH and protein-thiol levels were not changed by 80 microM formaldehyde. GSH (4 mM) prevented the effect of SB (p < .001) and formaldehyde (p < .05) on the bradykinin-induced calcium increase. Our data support the premise that SB inhibits bradykinin-induced calcium increase. This inhibition is partially due to protein-thiol oxidation but may also be caused by the formaldehyde content of SB, which inhibits calcium increase in a protein-thiol-independent manner.