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Toxicological assessment of E-cigarette flavored E-liquids aerosols using Calu-3 cells: A 3D lung model approach

Effah, F; Adragna, J; Luglio, D; Bailey, A; Marczylo, T; Gordon, T (2023) Toxicological assessment of E-cigarette flavored E-liquids aerosols using Calu-3 cells: A 3D lung model approach. Toxicology, 500. p. 153683. ISSN 0300-483X https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tox.2023.153683
SGUL Authors: Bailey, Alexis

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Abstract

Scientific progress and ethical considerations are increasingly shifting the toxicological focus from in vivo animal models to in vitro studies utilizing physiologically relevant cell cultures. Consequently, we evaluated and validated a three-dimensional (3D) model of the human lung using Calu-3 cells cultured at an air-liquid interface (ALI) for 28 days. Assessment of seven essential genes of differentiation and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements, in conjunction with mucin (MUC5AC) staining, validated the model. We observed a time-dependent increase in TEER, genetic markers of mucus-producing cells (muc5ac, muc5b), basal cells (trp63), ciliated cells (foxj1), and tight junctions (tjp1). A decrease in basal cell marker krt5 levels was observed. Subsequently, we utilized this validated ALI-cultured Calu-3 model to investigate the adversity of the aerosols generated from three flavored electronic cigarette (EC) e-liquids: cinnamon, vanilla tobacco, and hazelnut. These aerosols were compared against traditional cigarette smoke (3R4F) to assess their relative toxicity. The aerosols generated from PG/VG vehicle control, hazelnut and cinnamon e-liquids, but not vanilla tobacco, significantly decreased TEER and increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release compared to the incubator and air-only controls. Compared to 3R4F, there were no significant differences in TEER or LDH with the tested flavored EC aerosols other than vanilla tobacco. This starkly contrasted our expectations, given the common perception of e-liquids as a safer alternative to cigarettes. Our study suggests that these results depend on flavor type. Therefore, we strongly advocate for further research, increased user awareness regarding flavors in ECs, and rigorous regulatory scrutiny to protect public health.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Keywords: 1115 Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toxicology
SGUL Research Institute / Research Centre: Academic Structure > Institute of Medical & Biomedical Education (IMBE)
Academic Structure > Institute of Medical & Biomedical Education (IMBE) > Centre for Biomedical Education (INMEBE)
Journal or Publication Title: Toxicology
ISSN: 0300-483X
Language: en
Dates:
DateEvent
27 November 2023Published
25 November 2023Published Online
22 November 2023Accepted
Publisher License: Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0
Projects:
Project IDFunderFunder ID
UNSPECIFIEDNational Institute for Health Researchhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000272
HL139239–03National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutehttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000050
ES000260National Institute of Environmental Health Scienceshttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000066
P30 CA016087National Cancer Institutehttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000054
URI: https://openaccess.sgul.ac.uk/id/eprint/115873
Publisher's version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tox.2023.153683

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