Subchronic Electronic Cigarette Exposures have Overlapping Protein Biomarkers with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a scientific study investigating the relationship between electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) and chronic lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The study uses murine models exposed to e-cig vapor and compares the resulting changes in airway lining fluid proteomics to published biomarkers of COPD and IPF.

Key Points:

* The study found that subchronic vaping of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin (PGVG) and PGVG with nicotine (PGVG 1Nic) alters BaL proteins that overlap with published biomarkers of IPF and COPD.
* PGVG 1Nic showed a stronger protein overlap with the curated IPF and COPD published biomarkers, indicating a potential link to premature lung aging and vulnerability to deleterious chronic outcomes.
* The study used murine models exposed to e-cig vapor for 4 months, 5 days a week, and analyzed the resulting changes in airway lining fluid proteomics.
* The study converted the statistically significant murine BaL proteins to homo sapiens orthologs and homologs and compared them to published biomarkers of COPD and IPF.
* The study found that Smoke clearly coalesced to its own clade, whereas air overlapped with PGVG and PGVG 1Nic.
* PGVG consistently upregulated BaL proteins, whereas Smoke and PGVG 1Nic appear to downregulate.
* The strongest overlap occurred between downregulated PGVG 1Nic and Smoke proteins, suggesting a key role of nicotine in driving airway epithelial fluid protein changes.
* PGVG elicited unique responses in BaL composition.

Main Message:
The study suggests that subchronic vaping of e-cigs, particularly those containing nicotine, may have harmful effects on lung health and could potentially contribute to the development of chronic lung diseases such as COPD and IPF. The study highlights the need for further research to better understand the long-term effects of e-cig use on lung health and to inform regulatory decisions regarding their use.

Scieszka D, Byrum SD, Mackintosh SG, et al. Subchronic Electronic Cigarette Exposures have Overlapping Protein Biomarkers with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. american journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology. 2022;67(4):503-506. doi:10.1165/rcmb.2021-0482LE