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Cigarette Smoke Exposure in Mice using a Whole-Body Inhalation System
Published on: October 22, 2020
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Vaping versus smoking: a quest for long-term impact in a mouse model
Layal Massara1, Anais Ollivier1, Romain Dusautoir2
1Univ. Lille, CNRS, INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, U1019-UMR 9017, France.
BMC Pulmonary Medicine
|October 17, 2025
Summary
Electronic cigarette aerosols (ECA) can cause lung inflammation and alter respiratory function in mice, even at moderate levels. These effects differ from those caused by traditional cigarette smoke (CS).
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary toxicology
- Immunology
- Respiratory medicine
Background:
- Electronic cigarettes (ECs) are perceived as safer than tobacco, but their aerosols (ECA) may pose health risks.
- Chronic exposure to ECA has been linked to lung cell activation, inflammation, and structural changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the long-term effects of ECA exposure on lung and systemic inflammation and respiratory function in mice.
- To compare the impact of ECA exposure with traditional cigarette smoke (CS) exposure.
Main Methods:
- Mice were exposed to two power levels of ECA or CS for 1 hour/day over 3 or 6 months.
- Evaluated lung and systemic inflammation via cell recruitment, cytokine concentrations, respiratory function, lung transcriptome, and structure.
Main Results:
- Chronic moderate ECA exposure specifically increased lung inflammation, marked by dendritic cell mobilization and T cell recruitment, with early IL-22 secretion.
- Transcriptome analysis showed limited overlap between ECA and CS effects; pro-inflammatory pathway modulation was mainly seen in low-power ECA exposure.
- High-power ECA exposure altered respiratory function differently than CS, suggesting potential independent effects.
Conclusions:
- Chronic electronic cigarette aerosol exposure can induce lung inflammation and alter respiratory function.
- The effects of ECA on the lungs differ from those of cigarette smoke, particularly concerning respiratory function alterations.
- High-power ECA exposure may impair respiratory function independently of inflammation.
