title: The effects of electronic cigarette aerosol exposure on inflammation and lung function in mice.
abstract: Electronic cigarette usage is increasing worldwide, yet there is a paucity of information on the respiratory health effects of electronic cigarette aerosol exposure. This study aimed to assess whether exposure to electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) aerosol would alter lung function and pulmonary inflammation in mice and to compare the severity of any alterations with mice exposed to mainstream tobacco smoke. Female BALB/c mice were exposed for 8 wk to tobacco smoke, medical air (control), or one of four different types of e-cigarette aerosol. E-cigarette aerosols varied depending on nicotine content (0 or 12 mg/ml) and the main excipient (propylene glycol or glycerin). Twenty-four hours after the final exposure, we measured pulmonary inflammation, lung volume, lung mechanics, and responsiveness to methacholine. Mice exposed to tobacco cigarette smoke had increased pulmonary inflammation and responsiveness to methacholine compared with air controls. Mice exposed to e-cigarette aerosol did not have increased inflammation but did display decrements in parenchymal lung function at both functional residual capacity and high transrespiratory pressures. Mice exposed to glycerin-based e-cigarette aerosols were also hyperresponsive to methacholine regardless of the presence or absence of nicotine. This study shows, for the first time, that exposure to e-cigarette aerosol during adolescence and early adulthood is not harmless to the lungs and can result in significant impairments in lung function.
authors.affiliation: Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia; alexander.larcombe@telethonkids.org.au.|Health, Safety and Environment, School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Alexander N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Larcombe
authors.affiliation: Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Maxine A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Janka
authors.affiliation: Fluid Dynamics Research Group, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.|Health, Safety and Environment, School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Mullins
authors.affiliation: Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Luke J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.affiliation: Fluid Dynamics Research Group, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bredin
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia; and.|Environmental Health Directorate, Department of Health, Shenton Park, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Franklin
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004548:Elasticity; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005652:Functional Residual Capacity / Q000187:drug effects; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016210:Methacholine Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009929:Organ Size; D010991:Plethysmography; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013909:Thorax / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D016210:Methacholine Chloride
keywords: airway hyperresponsiveness; electronic cigarette; inflammation; lung function