Nicotine-Free e-Cigarette Vapor Exposure Stimulates IL6 and Mucin Production in Human Primary Small Airway Epithelial Cells

Shaan Gellatly, Nicole Pavelka, Taylor Crue, Kelly S Schweitzer, Brian J Day, Elysia Min, Mari Numata, Dennis R Voelker, April Scruggs, Irina Petrache, Hong Wei Chu Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USACorrespondence: Hong Wei Chu; Irina Petrache Tel +1 303-398-1689;...

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Main Authors: Gellatly S, Pavelka N, Crue T, Schweitzer KS, Day BJ, Min E, Numata M, Voelker DR, Scruggs A, Petrache I, Chu HW
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2020-04-01
Series:Journal of Inflammation Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/nicotine-free-e-cigarette-vapor-exposure-stimulates-il6-and-mucin-prod-peer-reviewed-article-JIR
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spelling doaj-30e19d45926541229c87af2dd00fd18b2020-11-25T02:53:59ZengDove Medical PressJournal of Inflammation Research1178-70312020-04-01Volume 1317518553108Nicotine-Free e-Cigarette Vapor Exposure Stimulates IL6 and Mucin Production in Human Primary Small Airway Epithelial CellsGellatly SPavelka NCrue TSchweitzer KSDay BJMin ENumata MVoelker DRScruggs APetrache IChu HWShaan Gellatly, Nicole Pavelka, Taylor Crue, Kelly S Schweitzer, Brian J Day, Elysia Min, Mari Numata, Dennis R Voelker, April Scruggs, Irina Petrache, Hong Wei Chu Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USACorrespondence: Hong Wei Chu; Irina Petrache Tel +1 303-398-1689; +1 303-398-2080Fax +1 303-270-2319; +1 303-270-1780Email chuhw@njhealth.org; petrachei@njhealth.orgPurpose: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) are relatively new devices that allow the user to inhale a heated and aerosolized solution. At present, little is known about their health effects in the human lung, particularly in the small airways (< 2 mm in diameter), a key site of airway obstruction and destruction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other acute and chronic lung conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of e-cigarettes on human distal airway inflammation and remodeling.Methods: We isolated primary small airway epithelial cells from donor lungs without known lung disease. Small airway epithelial cells were cultured at air–liquid interface and exposed to 15 puffs vapor obtained by heating a commercially available e-cigarette solution (e-vapor) with or without nicotine. After 24 hrs of e-vapor exposure, basolateral and apical media as well as cell lysates were collected to measure the pleiotropic cytokine interleukin 6 (IL6) and MUC5AC, one of the major components in mucus.Results: Unlike the nicotine-containing e-vapor, nicotine-free e-vapor significantly increased the amount of IL6, which was coupled with increased levels of intracellular MUC5AC protein. Importantly, a neutralizing IL6 antibody (vs an IgG isotype control) significantly inhibited the production of MUC5AC induced by nicotine-free e-vapor.Conclusion: Our results suggest that human small airway epithelial cells exposed to nicotine-free e-vapor increase the inflammatory response and mucin production, which may contribute to distal lung airflow limitation and airway obstruction.Keywords: electronic cigarette, small airway epithelial cells, inflammation, interleukin 6, mucushttps://www.dovepress.com/nicotine-free-e-cigarette-vapor-exposure-stimulates-il6-and-mucin-prod-peer-reviewed-article-JIRelectronic cigarettesmall airway epithelial cellsinflammationinterleukin 6mucus. 
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Gellatly S
Pavelka N
Crue T
Schweitzer KS
Day BJ
Min E
Numata M
Voelker DR
Scruggs A
Petrache I
Chu HW
spellingShingle Gellatly S
Pavelka N
Crue T
Schweitzer KS
Day BJ
Min E
Numata M
Voelker DR
Scruggs A
Petrache I
Chu HW
Nicotine-Free e-Cigarette Vapor Exposure Stimulates IL6 and Mucin Production in Human Primary Small Airway Epithelial Cells
Journal of Inflammation Research
electronic cigarette
small airway epithelial cells
inflammation
interleukin 6
mucus. 
author_facet Gellatly S
Pavelka N
Crue T
Schweitzer KS
Day BJ
Min E
Numata M
Voelker DR
Scruggs A
Petrache I
Chu HW
author_sort Gellatly S
title Nicotine-Free e-Cigarette Vapor Exposure Stimulates IL6 and Mucin Production in Human Primary Small Airway Epithelial Cells
title_short Nicotine-Free e-Cigarette Vapor Exposure Stimulates IL6 and Mucin Production in Human Primary Small Airway Epithelial Cells
title_full Nicotine-Free e-Cigarette Vapor Exposure Stimulates IL6 and Mucin Production in Human Primary Small Airway Epithelial Cells
title_fullStr Nicotine-Free e-Cigarette Vapor Exposure Stimulates IL6 and Mucin Production in Human Primary Small Airway Epithelial Cells
title_full_unstemmed Nicotine-Free e-Cigarette Vapor Exposure Stimulates IL6 and Mucin Production in Human Primary Small Airway Epithelial Cells
title_sort nicotine-free e-cigarette vapor exposure stimulates il6 and mucin production in human primary small airway epithelial cells
publisher Dove Medical Press
series Journal of Inflammation Research
issn 1178-7031
publishDate 2020-04-01
description Shaan Gellatly, Nicole Pavelka, Taylor Crue, Kelly S Schweitzer, Brian J Day, Elysia Min, Mari Numata, Dennis R Voelker, April Scruggs, Irina Petrache, Hong Wei Chu Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USACorrespondence: Hong Wei Chu; Irina Petrache Tel +1 303-398-1689; +1 303-398-2080Fax +1 303-270-2319; +1 303-270-1780Email chuhw@njhealth.org; petrachei@njhealth.orgPurpose: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) are relatively new devices that allow the user to inhale a heated and aerosolized solution. At present, little is known about their health effects in the human lung, particularly in the small airways (< 2 mm in diameter), a key site of airway obstruction and destruction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other acute and chronic lung conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of e-cigarettes on human distal airway inflammation and remodeling.Methods: We isolated primary small airway epithelial cells from donor lungs without known lung disease. Small airway epithelial cells were cultured at air–liquid interface and exposed to 15 puffs vapor obtained by heating a commercially available e-cigarette solution (e-vapor) with or without nicotine. After 24 hrs of e-vapor exposure, basolateral and apical media as well as cell lysates were collected to measure the pleiotropic cytokine interleukin 6 (IL6) and MUC5AC, one of the major components in mucus.Results: Unlike the nicotine-containing e-vapor, nicotine-free e-vapor significantly increased the amount of IL6, which was coupled with increased levels of intracellular MUC5AC protein. Importantly, a neutralizing IL6 antibody (vs an IgG isotype control) significantly inhibited the production of MUC5AC induced by nicotine-free e-vapor.Conclusion: Our results suggest that human small airway epithelial cells exposed to nicotine-free e-vapor increase the inflammatory response and mucin production, which may contribute to distal lung airflow limitation and airway obstruction.Keywords: electronic cigarette, small airway epithelial cells, inflammation, interleukin 6, mucus
topic electronic cigarette
small airway epithelial cells
inflammation
interleukin 6
mucus. 
url https://www.dovepress.com/nicotine-free-e-cigarette-vapor-exposure-stimulates-il6-and-mucin-prod-peer-reviewed-article-JIR
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