Summary
ntroduction:
This article presents a preclinical study examining the effects of perinatal exposure to electronic cigarette (ecig) aerosol on large conduit artery structure and function in adolescent and adult offspring. The study aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that perinatal exposure to maternal vaping would alter vascular development and lead to a dose-dependent dysfunction that would persist into adolescent and adult life of offspring.
Key Points:
* The study used pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to either nicotine-free (ecig0) or nicotine-containing ecig aerosol (18 mg/mL, ecig18) starting on gestational day 2 and continued until pups were weaned (postnatal day 21).
* Pups were never directly exposed to ecig aerosol. Conduit artery function and structure were assessed in 3- and 7-mo-old offspring.
* at 3 mo, pulse wave velocity (PWV) was significantly higher in both ecig0 and ecig18 offspring compared with controls in both the 20 puffs/day and 60 puffs/day exposure cohorts.
* Wire myography revealed impaired aortic relaxation in all ecig exposure groups (with or without nicotine).
* Incubation of vessels with TEMPOL or Febuxostat reversed the aortic dysfunction, implicating the involvement of reactive oxygen species.
* Nearly identical changes and patterns were seen in vascular outcomes of 7-mo-old offspring.
* The take-home message is that maternal vaping during pregnancy, with or without nicotine, leads to maladaptations in vascular (aortic) development that persist into adult life of offspring.
Main Message:
This preclinical study highlights the adverse consequences of maternal exposure to electronic cigarette aerosol in conduit and resistance vessels alike, irrespective of nicotine content. The findings emphasize the importance of understanding the risks associated with electronic cigarettes, particularly during pregnancy, and the potential long-term effects on offspring's cardiovascular health.
Citation
abaricia JO, Whitehead aJ, Kandalam S, et al. E-cigarette aerosol Mixtures Inhibit Biomaterial-Induced Osseointegrative Cell Phenotypes. Materialia. 2021;20. doi:10.1016/j.mtla.2021.101241
