Electronic cigarette aerosol induces significantly less cytotoxicity than tobacco smoke

Introduction:
This article describes a study that compares the cytotoxicity of tobacco smoke and e-cigarette aerosol using an in vitro exposure system at the air-liquid interface. The study also includes dosimetric analysis methods to detect and distinguish aerosol dilutions.

Key Points:

* The study used a smoking machine to expose human lung epithelial cells to tobacco smoke and e-cigarette aerosol at the air-liquid interface.
* Dosimetric analysis was performed using real-time quartz crystal microbalances for mass and post-exposure chemical analysis for nicotine.
* The ePen aerosol induced 97%, 94% and 70% less cytotoxicity than 3R4F cigarette smoke based on matched EC50 values at different dilutions, mass and nicotine respectively.
* Test doses where cigarette smoke and e-cigarette aerosol cytotoxicity were observed are comparable with calculated daily doses in consumers.
* The study suggests that such experiments could form the basis of a larger package of work including chemical analyses, in vitro toxicology tests and clinical studies, to help assess the safety of current and next generation nicotine and tobacco products.

Main Message:
The study suggests that e-cigarette aerosol induces significantly less cytotoxicity than tobacco smoke, and that such experiments could be useful in assessing the safety of current and next generation nicotine and tobacco products. The findings support the potential of e-cigarettes as a harm reduction strategy for smokers. however, further research is needed to fully understand the long-term health effects of e-cigarette use.

azzopardi, David, Kharishma Patel, Tomasz Jaunky, Simone Santopietro, Oscar M. Camacho, John Mcaughey, and Marianna Gaça. “Electronic Cigarette aerosol Induces Significantly Less Cytotoxicity than Tobacco Smoke.” Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods 26, no. 6 (July 23, 2016): 477–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/15376516.2016.1217112.