Effects of E-Cigarettes on the Lung and Systemic Metabolome in People with HIV
Aline Zaparte,
Courtney J. Christopher,
Connie Arnold,
Lauren Richey,
Adairre Castille,
Kyle Mistretta,
Christopher M. Taylor,
Huiyi Lin,
Steve Nelson,
John P. Kirwan,
John W. Apolzan,
Shawn R. Campagna,
David A. Welsh
Affiliations
Aline Zaparte
Department of Internal Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
Courtney J. Christopher
Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, 1420 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
Connie Arnold
Department of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA
Lauren Richey
Department of Internal Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
Adairre Castille
Department of Internal Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
Kyle Mistretta
Department of Internal Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
Christopher M. Taylor
Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Parasitology, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
Huiyi Lin
School of Public Health, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
Steve Nelson
Department of Internal Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
John P. Kirwan
Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA
John W. Apolzan
Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA
Shawn R. Campagna
Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, 1420 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
David A. Welsh
Department of Internal Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
The popularity of e-cigarettes (vaping) has soared, creating a public health crisis among teens and young adults. Chronic vaping can induce gut inflammation and reduce intestinal barrier function through the production of the proinflammatory molecule hydrogen sulfide (H2S). This is particularly concerning for people with HIV (PWH) as they already face impaired immune function and are at a higher risk for metabolic dysregulation, diabetes, and chronic liver disease. Furthermore, PWH experience unhealthy behaviors, making it crucial to understand the systemic metabolic dysregulation and pathophysiological mechanisms associated with vaping in this population. Here, we employed liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics to investigate the upper respiratory, circulation, and gut metabolic profiles of PWH who vape (n = 7) and smoke combustible tobacco/marijuana (n = 6) compared to control participants who did not vape or smoke (n = 10). This hypothesis-generating exploratory study revealed systemic alterations in purine, neurotransmitter, and vitamin B metabolisms and tissue-specific changes in inflammatory pathways and cryptic sulfur cycling associated with vaping and combustible tobacco/marijuana smoking in PWH. In addition, this study provides the first link between microbial-derived metabolite 2,3-dihydroxypropane-1-sulfonate (DHPS) and vaping/smoking (tobacco and marijuana)-induced metabolic dyshomeostasis in the gut. These findings highlight the importance of identifying the full biological and clinical significance of the physiological changes and risks associated with vaping.
