Impact of Electronic Cigarette Settings on Primary and Secondhand Aerosol-Induced Toxicity: Evaluating Cell Survival and Membrane Stability
KAPIAMBA KASHALA FABRICE, Hsin-Yin Chuang, Weixing Hao, Lung-Chi Chen, Yue-Wern Huang, Yang Wang,
University of Miami Abstract Number: 80
Working Group: Health-Related Aerosols
AbstractIn this study, we investigated the impact of primary and secondhand electronic cigarette (EC) aerosols on the viability and membrane integrity of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. The transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) of air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures was measured to assess cell membrane integrity following exposure. The study compared the effects of nicotine concentration (0 mg/ml and 6 mg/ml) in the e-liquid and EC power settings (10W and 60W). Significant cell death was observed in cells exposed to primary and secondhand aerosols generated by both tested brands at the default power setting and 10W, regardless of nicotine concentration in the e-liquid. To evaluate the sole effect of power, the study examined e-liquid with no nicotine and found a 73 ± 3% cell viability (compared to the control) for samples exposed to aerosols generated at 10W (p < 0.05, N = 6). At higher power settings of 35W and 60W, cell viabilities dropped to 45 ± 1% and 42 ± 2%, respectively.
Using e-liquid with 6 mg/ml, nicotine yielded similar results, with a significant decrease in cell viability observed for samples exposed to aerosols generated at high EC power settings (35W and 60W). Notably, at 60W, cell viability was significantly lower for the 6 mg/ml nicotine concentration compared to the 0 mg/ml concentration. Similar trends were observed for TEER values (24 h after exposure), except for the effect of nicotine at higher power settings. The study's findings suggest that exposure to secondhand aerosols from ECs may pose potential health risks to bystanders. Compromised cell membrane integrity may permit harmful agents in EC and vaping smokes to penetrate subepithelial tissues, resulting in lung damage, immune system modulation, and disease progression.