Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma, and Lung Biology.
Curriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2022 Nov 15;206(10):1248-1258. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202202-0373OC.
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.
许多研究表明，电子烟会影响呼吸道免疫稳态；然而，这些影响的程度仍然是一个活跃的研究领域，并且大多数先前的研究都是在模型系统或接触第三代电子烟（如烟枪和盒式模块）的受试者中进行的。鉴于含有尼古丁盐的烟弹和一次性电子烟（第四代）的普及，我们着手更好地了解这些较新型电子烟的呼吸道影响，并将其效果与早期一代的设备进行比较。我们从一组非吸烟者、吸烟者、第三代电子烟使用者和第四代电子烟使用者（每组 20-30 人）中收集诱导痰液样本，并评估细胞和液体相组成，以评估炎症、宿主防御和肺损伤标志物。第四代电子烟使用者的痰液中支气管上皮细胞明显更多，提示气道损伤。与所有其他组相比，第四代电子烟使用者痰液中的可溶性细胞间黏附分子 1（sICAM1）和可溶性血管细胞黏附分子 1（sVCAM1）浓度明显更低，C 反应蛋白（CRP）、IFN-、单核细胞趋化蛋白 1（MCP-1）、基质金属蛋白酶 2（MMP-2）、尿促球蛋白和血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）在第四代电子烟使用者中明显低于第三代电子烟使用者，提示第四代电子烟使用者的整体免疫抑制。预测模型也清楚地区分了暴露组，表明组间的整体介质环境不同，尤其是第四代电子烟使用者。我们的结果表明第四代电子烟使用者的免疫稳态受到破坏，并表明第四代电子烟使用的生物学效应与前几代电子烟的效应不同。
