Inflammatory biomarkers and growth factors in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid of e-cigarette users, cigarette smokers, and dual smokers: a pilot study.

Introduction:
This text summarizes a pilot study that examines the effects of electronic cigarette (e-cig) use, cigarette smoking, and dual use on levels of biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and tissue injury/repair and growth factors in human saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). The study aims to characterize specific biomarkers for e-cig users, cigarette smokers, and dual smokers.

Key Points:

* The study recruited 48 participants and divided them into four groups: non-smokers (NS), cigarette smokers (CS), e-cig users (EC), and dual smokers (DS).
* Saliva and GCF samples were collected and analyzed for various biomarkers using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISa) and Luminex.
* The levels of PGE2 in saliva were significantly higher in CS compared with NS, EC, and DS. however, there were no significant differences in the levels of IL-1 β among the groups.
* In GCF, the levels of MPO were significantly reduced in CS, EC, and DS compared with NS. EN-RaGE was almost significantly different in DS compared with NS.
* Galectin-3, S100a8, S100a9, and Serpine1/PaI-1 levels in the EC group were not statistically significantly different as compared with CS, DS, and NS groups. however, RaGE and uteroglobin were statistically significantly lower in EC compared with DS.
* The levels of growth factors, including BDNF, FGF, NGF, SCF, BMP-2, hGF, PDGF-aa, TGF-α, EGF, PlGF, and VEGF, were all presented statistically non-significant decreases in EC compared with CS.
* The variations in the effects of vaping and smoking on periodontal biomarker profile may be due to younger population of participants, smoking/vaping history and duration, and oral hygiene of the participants.

Main Message:
The study suggests that some measurable inflammatory biomarkers are affected by the type of smokers, which can inform future translational and regulatory research. Larger clinical cross-sectional and longitudinal studies are required to evaluate the deleterious effects of e-cig vaping on oral health, including periodontal health. The study highlights the need for further research to determine whether these biomarkers are affected in other biological fluids, such as plasma, by e-cig vaping, and correlated with clinical conditions.

Ye D, Gajendra S, Lawyer G, et al. Inflammatory biomarkers and growth factors in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid of e-cigarette users, cigarette smokers, and dual smokers: a pilot study. Journal of periodontology. 2020;91(10):1274-1283. doi:10.1002/JPER.19-0457