E-cigarettes compromise the gut barrier and trigger inflammation

Aditi Sharma; Jasper Lee; Ayden G. Fonseca; Alex Moshensky; Taha Kothari; Ibrahim M. Sayed; Stella-Rita Ibeawuchi; Rama F. Pranadinata; Jason Ear; Debashis Sahoo; Laura E. Crotty-Alexander; Pradipta Ghosh; Soumita Das

iScience (Feb 2021)

E-cigarettes compromise the gut barrier and trigger inflammation

Aditi Sharma,
Jasper Lee,
Ayden G. Fonseca,
Alex Moshensky,
Taha Kothari,
Ibrahim M. Sayed,
Stella-Rita Ibeawuchi,
Rama F. Pranadinata,
Jason Ear,
Debashis Sahoo,
Laura E. Crotty-Alexander,
Pradipta Ghosh,
Soumita Das

Affiliations

Aditi Sharma: Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
Jasper Lee: Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
Ayden G. Fonseca: Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
Alex Moshensky: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
Taha Kothari: Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
Ibrahim M. Sayed: Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
Stella-Rita Ibeawuchi: Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
Rama F. Pranadinata: Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
Jason Ear: Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA; Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
Debashis Sahoo: Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA; Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA; Rebecca and John Moore Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
Laura E. Crotty-Alexander: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA; Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USA; Corresponding author
Pradipta Ghosh: Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA; Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA; Rebecca and John Moore Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA; Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USA; Corresponding author
Soumita Das: Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA; Rebecca and John Moore Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA; Corresponding author

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 24, no. 2
p. 102035

Abstract

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Summary: E-cigarette usage continues to rise, yet the safety of e-cigarette aerosols is questioned. Using murine models of acute and chronic e-cigarette aerosol inhalation, murine colon transcriptomics, and murine and human gut-derived organoids in co-culture models, we assessed the effects of e-cigarette use on the gut barrier. Histologic and transcriptome analyses revealed that chronic, but not acute, nicotine-free e-cigarette use increased inflammation and reduced expression of tight junction (TJ) markers. Exposure of murine and human enteroid-derived monolayers (EDMs) to nicotine-free e-cigarette aerosols alone or in co-culture with bacteria also causes barrier disruption, downregulation of TJ protein, and enhanced inflammation in response to infection. These data highlight the harmful effects of “non-nicotine” component of e-cigarettes on the gut barrier. Considering the importance of an intact gut barrier for host fitness and the impact of gut mucosal inflammation on a multitude of chronic diseases, these findings are broadly relevant to both medicine and public health.

Published in iScience

ISSN: 2589-0042 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Science
Website: http://www.cell.com/iscience/home

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