The Customizable E-cigarette Resistance Influences Toxicological Outcomes: Lung Degeneration, Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress-Induced in a Rat Model.

Introduction:
This manuscript titled "The customizable e-cigarette resistance influences toxicological outcomes" and submitted to Toxicological Sciences provides an investigation into the impact of e-cigarette resistance on toxicological outcomes. The study aims to understand the relationship between e-cigarette resistance and carbonyls production, oxidative stress, inflammation, tissue damage, and blood homeostasis in a rat model.

Key Points:

* The study used a commercially available e-cigarette powered by a rechargeable lithium battery and set it at a fixed voltage value of 3.5 V.
* Two different coils (1.5 Ω and 0.25 Ω) were used to obtain a total wattage of 8±2 W and 40±5 W, respectively.
* The e-cigarette was refilled with a nicotine-free e-liquid composed of a propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin base solution (50/50, v/v) and a red fruits flavor concentrate added to a final concentration of 10% (v/v).
* Volatile carbonyl compounds were determined by headspace-solid phase microextraction (hS-SPME) coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS q2010 Plus, Shimadzu, Japan).
* Thirty male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to the vapor generated by the e-cigarettes for 28 days.
* The levels of O2, N2, and CO2 were monitored by GC/MS to establish safe O2/N2 and CO2/O2 ratios.
* Lung damage and blood homeostasis were studied by collecting blood from the tail vein and lung tissue after 24 hours from the last exposure.

Main Message:
The study suggests that the manipulation of e-cigarette resistance influences the carbonyls production from non-nicotine vapor and the oxidative and inflammatory status in a rat model. The study found that the amount of selected aldehydes increased as the resistance decreased from 1.5 to 0.25 Ω. at the same voltage, the lower resistance (0.25 Ω) resulted in a higher level of carbonyls, ROS, and lipid peroxidation in lung tissue compared to the higher resistance (1.5 Ω). The study suggests that certain "tips for vaping safety" cannot be established and encourages further independent investigations to help public health agencies in regulating the e-cig use. The study highlights the need for more research to understand the toxicological outcomes of e-cigarette use and the potential risks associated with customizable devices.

Cirillo S, Vivarelli F, Turrini E, et al. The Customizable E-cigarette Resistance Influences Toxicological Outcomes: Lung Degeneration, Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress-Induced in a Rat Model. Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology. 2019;172(1):132-145. doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfz176