Transcriptomic Response of Primary human Bronchial Cells to Repeated Exposures of Cigarette and ENDS Preparations.

Introduction:
This text provides an overview of a scientific study that compares the effects of cigarette smoke and electronic cigarette (ENDS) preparations on gene expression in primary normal human bronchial epithelial (NhBE) cells grown at air-liquid interface (aLI). The study aims to evaluate the repeat-dose exposures of tobacco products and their impact on the transcriptome of airway cells.

Key Points:

* The study exposed primary NhBE cultures to cigarette smoke and ENDS preparations daily for 10 days.
* Cigarette smoke preparations significantly altered gene expression in a dose-dependent manner, while ENDS preparations had minimal effects on transcriptional pathways.
* Genes regulated by cigarette preparations reflected some of the physiological changes observed in human smokers.
* The transcriptional alterations induced by cigarette preparations were more pronounced than those induced by ENDS preparations.
* The study demonstrates the use of primary NhBE cultures at aLI as a suitable in vitro model for tobacco product evaluation.
* Since ENDS preparations induced unique transcriptional changes, further investigations into these genes are recommended.
* The study highlights the importance of using appropriate in vitro models to evaluate the potential health risks associated with tobacco products.

Main Message:
The study demonstrates that a sub-chronic exposure of primary NhBE cultures to cigarette and ENDS preparations differentially regulates genes and canonical pathways, with minimal effects observed with ENDS preparations compared to cigarette preparations. This study underscores the importance of using appropriate in vitro models, such as primary NhBE cultures at aLI, to evaluate the potential health risks associated with tobacco products accurately. The minimal effects observed with ENDS preparations suggest that they may be a less harmful alternative to cigarette smoke. however, further studies are needed to confirm these findings and investigate the unique transcriptional changes induced by ENDS preparations.

Rayner RE, Wellmerling J, Makena P, Zhao J, Prasad GL, Cormet-Boyaka E. Transcriptomic Response of Primary human Bronchial Cells to Repeated Exposures of Cigarette and ENDS Preparations. Cell biochemistry and biophysics. 2022;80(1):217-228. doi:10.1007/s12013-021-01042-4