Prostate International (Jun 2023)

The impact of conventional smoking versus electronic cigarette on the expression of VEGF, PEMPA1, and PTEN in rat prostate

  • Alireza Namazi Shabestari,
  • Seyed Saeed Tamehri Zadeh,
  • Parisa Zahmatkesh,
  • Leila Zareian Baghdadabad,
  • Akram Mirzaei,
  • Rahil Mashhadi,
  • Gholamreza Mesbah,
  • Alireza Khajavi,
  • Milad Akbarzadehmoallemkolaei,
  • Mahdi Khoshchehreh,
  • Ramin Rahimnia,
  • Seyed Mohammad Kazem Aghamir

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 2
pp. 76 – 82

Abstract

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Background: The use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), the alternative to conventional smoking, is increasing considerably worldwide; however, their safety is a matter of debate. Several studies have demonstrated their toxic effects, but no study assessed their effects on the prostate. Objective: The current study aimed at evaluating e-cigarettes and conventional smoking prostate toxicity and effects on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), phosphatase and tensin (PTEN), and prostate transmembrane protein androgen induced 1 (PMEPA1). Method: 30 young Wistar rats were categorized into three groups (n = 10) as follows: the control group, the conventional smoking group, and the e-cigarette group. The case groups were exposed to cigarettes or e-cigarettes for 40 minutes, 3 times a day for four months. Serum parameters, prostate pathology, and gene expression were measured at the end of the intervention. Data were analyzed by Graph Pad prism 9. Results: Histopathological findings presented that both types of cigarette-induced hyperemia and induced inflammatory cell infiltration and hypertrophy of smooth muscle of the vascular wall in the e-cigarette group. Expression of PMEPA1, and VEGFA genes significantly increased in conventional (2.67-fold; P = 0.0108, 1.80-fold; P = 0.0461 respectively) and e-cigarettes (1.98-fold; P = 0.0127, 1.34-fold; P = 0.938, respectively) groups compared to the control group. Expression of the PTEN gene non-significantly decreased in the case of groups compared to the control group. Conclusion: We found no significant differences between the two groups in terms of PTEN and PMEPA1 expression, whereas VEGFA was significantly more expressed in a conventional smoking group compared to the e-cigarette group. Therefore, it seems that e-cigarettes could not be taken into account as a better option than conventional smoking, and quitting smoking still is the optimal option.

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