Summary
Introduction:
This text is a summary of a scientific study that investigates the potential harmful effects of electronic cigarette (e-cig) use on pulmonary health. The study compares the changes in gene and protein biomarkers involved in molecular pathways associated with cigarette-induced lung diseases in animals chronically exposed to e-cig aerosol and cigarette smoke.
Key Points:
1. The study used C57BL/6J mice randomly assigned to three exposure groups: e-cig, tobacco cigarette smoke, and filtered air.
2. Lung tissues and paraffin-embedded slides were used to evaluate gene and/or protein expressions of CYP450 metabolism, oxidative stress, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and survival/apoptotic pathways.
3. The exposure continued for 8 successive months, with terminal surgical procedures conducted at 12 months of age.
4. The study found that chronic e-cig exposure leads to molecular changes similar to those seen in cigarette smoke exposure.
5. The changes in biomarkers observed in chronic e-cig aerosol exposure followed those seen in chronic cigarette smoke exposure, indicating that chronic e-cig exposure has the potential to initiate pathologic processes that contribute to chronic lung damage/diseases.
6. The study used a systematic genomic and proteomic analysis of mouse tissues chronically exposed to e-cig aerosol to identify potential unrecognized biomarkers involved in pathogenesis of pulmonary diseases.
7. additional research, including studies of primary human pulmonary epithelial cells exposed to e-cig in air-liquid interface cell exposure systems, is required to more precisely elucidate the toxicity associated with e-cigs.
Main Message:
The study suggests that chronic e-cig use can produce a similar outcome as cigarette smoking, leading to molecular changes involved in the pathogenesis of cigarette-induced lung injury. Therefore, e-cig use may not be a safe alternative to cigarette smoking, and further investigation is warranted.
Citation
Marshall K, Liu Z, Olfert IM, Gao W. Chronic electronic cigarette use elicits molecular changes related to pulmonary pathogenesis. Toxicology and applied pharmacology. 2020;406:115224. doi:10.1016/j.taap.2020.115224
