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National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

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Your Environment. Your Health.

Publication Detail

Title: E-Cigarette Use Causes a Unique Innate Immune Response in the Lung, Involving Increased Neutrophilic Activation and Altered Mucin Secretion.

Authors: Reidel, Boris; Radicioni, Giorgia; Clapp, Phillip W; Ford, Amina A; Abdelwahab, Sabri; Rebuli, Meghan E; Haridass, Prashamsha; Alexis, Neil E; Jaspers, Ilona; Kesimer, Mehmet

Published In Am J Respir Crit Care Med, (2018 Feb 15)

Abstract: E-cigarettes have become increasingly popular and little is known about their potential adverse health effects.To determine the effects of e-cigarette use on the airways.Induced sputum samples from cigarette smokers, e-cigarette users, and nonsmokers were analyzed by quantitative proteomics, and the total and individual concentrations of mucins MUC5AC and MUC5B were determined by light scattering/refractometry and labeled mass spectrometry, respectively. Neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation rates were also determined for the same groups.E-cigarette users exhibited significant increases in aldehyde-detoxification and oxidative stress-related proteins associated with cigarette smoke compared with nonsmokers. The levels of innate defense proteins associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, such as elastase and matrix metalloproteinase-9, were significantly elevated in e-cigarette users as well. E-cigarette users' sputum also uniquely exhibited significant increases in neutrophil granulocyte-related and NET-related proteins, such as myeloperoxidase, azurocidin, and protein-arginine deiminase 4, despite no significant elevation in neutrophil cell counts. Peripheral neutrophils from e-cigarette users showed increased susceptibility to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced NETosis. Finally, a compositional change in the gel-forming building blocks of airway mucus (i.e., an elevated concentration of mucin MUC5AC) was observed in both cigarette smokers and e-cigarette users.Together, our results indicate that e-cigarette use alters the profile of innate defense proteins in airway secretions, inducing similar and unique changes relative to cigarette smoking. These data challenge the concept that e-cigarettes are a healthier alternative to cigarettes.

PubMed ID: 29053025 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: No MeSH terms associated with this publication

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