Biomarkers of Airway Immune Homeostasis Differ Significantly with Generation of E-Cigarettes

Numerous studies have demonstrated that e-cigarettes can impact respiratory immune homeostasis; however, the extent of these effects remains an active area of investigation, and most previous studies were conducted with model systems or subjects exposed to third-generation e-cigarettes, such as vape...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inAmerican journal of respiratory and critical care medicine Vol. 206; no. 10; pp. 1248 - 1258
Main Authors Hickman, Elise, Payton, Alexis, Duffney, Parker, Wells, Heather, Ceppe, Agathe S., Brocke, Stephanie, Bailey, Aleah, Rebuli, Meghan E., Robinette, Carole, Ring, Brian, Rager, Julia E., Alexis, Neil E., Jaspers, Ilona
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States American Thoracic Society 15.11.2022
Subjects
Online AccessGet full text
ISSN1073-449X
1535-4970
1535-4970
DOI10.1164/rccm.202202-0373OC

Cover

More Information
Summary:Numerous studies have demonstrated that e-cigarettes can impact respiratory immune homeostasis; however, the extent of these effects remains an active area of investigation, and most previous studies were conducted with model systems or subjects exposed to third-generation e-cigarettes, such as vape pens and box mods. Given the rise in popularity of nicotine-salt-containing pods and disposable e-cigarettes (fourth generation), we set out to better understand the respiratory effects of these newer e-cigarettes and compare their effects to early-generation devices. We collected induced sputum samples from a cohort of nonsmokers, smokers, third-generation e-cigarette users, and fourth-generation e-cigarette users (  = 20-30 per group) and evaluated the cellular and fluid-phase composition for markers of inflammation, host defense, and lung injury. Fourth-generation e-cigarette users had significantly more bronchial epithelial cells in the sputum, suggestive of airway injury. Concentrations of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM1) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (sVCAM1) were significantly lower in fourth-generation e-cigarette users in comparison with all other groups, and CRP (C-reactive protein), IFN- , MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1), MMP-2 (matrix metalloproteinase 2), uteroglobin, and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) were significantly lower in fourth- versus third-generation e-cigarette users, suggestive of overall immune suppression in fourth-generation e-cigarette users. Predictive modeling also demonstrated clear separation between exposure groups, indicating that the overall mediator milieu is different between groups, particularly fourth-generation e-cigarette users. Our results indicate disrupted immune homeostasis in fourth-generation e-cigarette users and demonstrate that the biological effects of fourth-generation e-cigarette use are unique compared with those associated with previous-generation e-cigarettes.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 14
content type line 23
ISSN:1073-449X
1535-4970
1535-4970
DOI:10.1164/rccm.202202-0373OC