Pilot Study to Detect Genes Involved in DNa Damage and Cancer in humans: Potential Biomarkers of Exposure to E-Cigarette aerosols.

Introduction:
This text provides an overview of a pilot study examining the effects of acute e-cigarette exposure on DNa damage and repair gene measurements in human buccal and blood samples. The study aims to identify early molecular events from e-cigarette exposure and associations between human vaping behaviors and gene expression. The text also discusses the limitations of the study and the need for further research.

Key Points:

* The study recruited three e-cigarette users who made three visits to the lab and vaped 20 puffs according to a scripted vaping protocol.
* Blood and buccal samples were collected before and after vaping, and topography data were collected during vaping.
* Eighty-four genes related to DNa damage were analyzed, and five were significantly upregulated in buccal samples, while one was significantly downregulated in blood samples.
* The DNa replication, recombination, and repair pathway was the major pathway activated in both buccal and blood samples.
* The study also identified changes in the expression of other genes associated with DNa damage and repair.
* The fold change of the MaP2K6 gene in buccal samples was consistent with its level in blood samples for each subject.
* The study found that vaping behavior, such as puff volume and flow rate, impacted gene expression.

Main Message:
The pilot study demonstrates that acute e-cigarette exposure significantly alters the expression of DNa damage and repair genes in human tissues. The study also highlights the importance of considering vaping behaviors when assessing e-cigarette toxicity and exposure. however, the small sample size and the need for further research to confirm the relationships observed in this study suggest that more extensive studies are necessary to fully understand the impact of e-cigarette use on gene expression and pathways. Overall, the study provides preliminary evidence that vaping 20 puffs of an e-cigarette is sufficient to cause significant changes in gene expression, which could be used as biomarkers of exposure to carcinogens from e-cigarettes.

hamad Sh, Brinkman MC, Tsai Yh, et al. Pilot Study to Detect Genes Involved in DNa Damage and Cancer in humans: Potential Biomarkers of Exposure to E-Cigarette aerosols. Genes. 2021;12(3). doi:10.3390/genes12030448