Altered lung biology of healthy never smokers following acute inhalation of E-cigarettes

Abstract

BackgroundLittle is known about health risks associated with electronic cigarette (EC) use although EC are rising in popularity and have been advocated as a means to quit smoking cigarettes.MethodsTen never-smokers, without exposure history to tobacco products or EC, were assessed at baseline with questionnaire, chest X-ray, lung function, plasma levels of endothelial microparticles (EMP), and bronchoscopy to obtain small airway epithelium (SAE) and alveolar macrophages (AM). One week later, subjects inhaled 10 puffs of “Blu” brand EC, waited 30 min, then another 10 puff; n = 7 were randomized to EC with nicotine and n = 3 to EC without nicotine to assess biological responses in healthy, naive individuals.ResultsTwo hr. post-EC exposure, subjects were again assessed as at baseline. No significant changes in clinical parameters were observed. Biological changes were observed compared to baseline, including altered transcriptomes of SAE and AM for all subjects and elevated plasma EMP levels following inhalation of EC with nicotine.ConclusionsThis study provides in vivo human data demonstrating that acute inhalation of EC aerosols dysregulates normal human lung homeostasis in a limited cohort of healthy naïve individuals. These observations have implications to new EC users, nonsmokers exposed to secondhand EC aerosols and cigarette smokers using EC to quit smoking.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT01776398 (registered 10/12/12), NCT02188511 (registered 7/2/14).Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12931-018-0778-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Dysregulated repair and inflammatory responses by e‐cigarette‐derived inhaled nicotine and humectant propylene glycol in a sex‐dependent manner in mouse lung

“…The increased levels of pro‐inflammatory cytokines (IL‐6 and IL‐8) may cause remodeling of the ECM in the lungs of COPD patients via exposure to e‐cigs containing nicotine. Recent data also show that acute inhalation of e‐cig aerosols alters small airway and macrophage biological responses in normal individuals . Overall, we show that acute exposure of e‐cig aerosols containing PG with or without nicotine differentially affects inflammatory responses in healthy and COPD 3D models of human EpiAirway tissues.…”

“…Recent data also show that acute inhalation of e-cig aerosols alters small airway and macrophage biological responses in normal individuals. 60 Overall, we show that acute exposure of e-cig aerosols containing PG with or without nicotine differentially affects inflammatory responses in healthy and COPD 3D models of human EpiAirway tissues.…”

Meta-analysis of transcriptomes of SARS-Cov2 infected human lung epithelial cells identifies transmembrane serine proteases co-expressed with ACE2 and biological processes related to viral entry, immunity, inflammation and cellular stress

“…Table 1). These datasets were provided along with studies by Blanco-Melo et al 12 (GSE147507) and Staudt et al 41 (GSE85121). A final publication related to the dataset GSE146482 is yet to materialize.…”

Immunological and pathological effects of electronic cigarettes

“…Adolescents using E‐cigarettes for 12 months showed a twofold increase in rates of chronic bronchitic symptoms, such as chronic cough, phlegm or bronchitis . Acute E‐cigarette use (regardless of nicotine content) by never‐smokers altered transcriptomes in small airway epithelium including downstream targets of p53 signalling related to apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and DNA damage . Moreover, E‐cigarette use changed transcriptomes in alveolar macrophages, thereby inhibiting their migration and phagocytic ability but increased susceptibility of E‐cigarette users to infection .…”

“…53 Moreover, E-cigarette use changed transcriptomes in alveolar macrophages, thereby inhibiting their migration and phagocytic ability but increased susceptibility of E-cigarette users to infection. 53 Both chronic CS and E-cigarette users had more erythematous and irritable airway mucosa, and there were approximately 200 proteins altered (78 proteins altered in both groups and 113 specifically altered in vapers) in bronchial epithelium, including mucin MUC5AC that facilitates mucus secretion. Of note, some proteins up-regulated in vapers like MUC5AC, CYP1B (generates covalent adducts to damage DNA) and STIM1 (controls Ca 2+ homeostasis) were also elevated by aerosolized PG/VG in HBECs in vitro.…”