Vapers are vulnerable to pneumonia

The vapor from e-cigarettes seems to help pneumonia-causing bacteria stick to the cells that line the airways. The study included experiments with cells mice and humans. It showed that e-cigarette vapor had an effect similar to the reported effects of traditional cigarette smoke or particulate matter from fossil-fuel pollution, both of which are known to increase susceptibility to lung infection with pneumococcal bacteria.

Lead researcher, Jonathan Grigg, Professor of Paediatric Respiratory and Environmental Medicine at Queen Mary University of London, said the study indicates that vaping, especially in the long term, could raise the risk of bacterial lung infection. Pneumococcal bacteria can exist in human airways without causing illness. However, in some cases, they can invade the lining cells causing pneumonia or septicaemia. Exposure to traditional cigarette smoke helps these bacteria stick to airway lining cells, increasing the risk of infection.

The research examined the effects of e-cigarette vapor on a molecule produced by the cells that line the airways, called platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR). Previous research by Professor Grigg's group has shown that pneumococcal bacteria use PAFR to help them stick to airway cells, which in turn increases the ability of bacteria to invade body tissues and cause disease. Research has also shown that PAFR levels increase in response to smoking, passive smoking, pollution and welding fumes.

Researchers examined human nose lining cells in the lab. They exposed some cells to e-cigarette vapor, some containing nicotine and some without, while other cells were not exposed. Cells exposed to either nicotine-containing or nicotine-free vapor produced levels of PAFR that were three times higher. When researchers introduced pneumococcal bacteria to these cells, they found that exposure to either nicotine-containing or nicotine-free vapor doubled the amount of bacteria that stuck to airway cells.

They tested the effect of e-cigarette vapor in mice and found that inhaled exposure to e-cigarette vapor also increased levels of PAFR on airway lining cells and increased the number of pneumococcal bacteria in the respiratory tract after infection, making mice more susceptible to disease. The team studied PAFR levels in cells lining the nose of 17 people. Of these, ten were regular users of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, one used nicotine-free e-cigarettes, and six were not vapers.

First, PAFR levels in the airways of all 17 volunteers were measured. Then, vapers were asked to take at least ten puffs on their e-cigarettes over five minutes. One hour after vaping, PAFR levels on airway cells increased three-fold. The result shows that vaping makes the airways more vulnerable to bacteria sticking to airway lining cells. If this occurs when a vaper gets exposed to the pneumococcal bacterium, this could increase the risk of infection.
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E-cigarettes flavours are toxic

Sugar and spice are not healthy when it comes to vaping or inhalation. Exposure to e-cigarette flavoring chemicals and liquids can cause significant inflammation to monocytes, a type of white blood cell and many flavoring compounds are also toxic, with cinnamon, vanilla and buttery flavors among the worst. That's the finding of new research published in open-access journal
Frontiers in Physiology, which also found that mixing e-cigarette flavors has a much worse effect than exposure to just one.

The use of e-cigarettes has exploded in the past decade as traditional cigarette consumption has declined. Vaping exposes the lungs to flavoring chemicals when the e-liquids are heated and inhaled. Since the flavoring chemicals are considered safe to eat, e-cigarettes are often considered and advertised as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes.

This new study, led by researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Centre in the United States, wanted to test the assumption that vaping nicotine-free flavored e-liquids is safer than smoking conventional cigarettes. Previous studies show that flavors used in e-cigarettes cause inflammatory and oxidative stress responses in lung cells.

Users of e-cigarettes also show increased levels oxidative stress markers in the blood compared to non-smokers. The new study extends this to assess the effects of commonly used flavoring chemicals, as well as e-liquids without nicotine, directly on immune cells-a type of white blood cell called monocytes.

Exposure to the e-cigarette flavoring chemicals and e-liquids led to higher production of two well-established biomarkers for inflammation and tissue damage mediated by oxidative stress. Furthermore, many of the flavoring chemicals caused significant cell death with some flavors being more toxic than others.
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Nicotine in E-cigarettes may cause cancer

The nicotine in e-cigarettes seems to damage DNA in ways that may increase cancer risk, the damage was seen both to DNA and its ability to repair itself, making cells more likely to mutate and develop into cancer, said lead researcher Moon-shong Tang, a professor of environmental medicine at New York University School of Medicine.

Reseachers exposed laboratory mice to e-cigarette vapor, which contains both nicotine and liquid solvents. They also exposed mice to the nicotine and the solvents separately. The vapors were produced using 4.2 volts of electricity, at or below the level at which most commercial e-cigarettes function.

Prior studies have shown that e-liquid heated using higher levels of electricity could produce harmful chemicals. This research team wanted to investigate the risk posed to people using a typical e-cigarette. They found the solvent alone does not cause DNA damage, nicotine with e-cigarette solvent caused the same damage as nicotine alone. The researchers also exposed cultured human lung and bladder cells to nicotine, and found the same effects-DNA damage and suppressed DNA repair.
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