Orzabal MR, Naik VD, Lee J, Wu G, Ramadoss J. Impact of gestational electronic cigarette vaping on amino acid signature profile in the pregnant mother and the fetus.
Metabol Open 2021;
11:100107. [PMID:
34355157 PMCID:
PMC8319793 DOI:
10.1016/j.metop.2021.100107]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) are a form of tobacco product that has become increasingly popular over the past decade. Despite the known health consequences of tobacco product exposure during pregnancy, a substantial number of daily smokers will continue to smoke during pregnancy. Our current knowledge on the effects of e-cig aerosol exposure during pregnancy is limited to a small number of animal studies, which have identified several e-cig aerosol-induced disruptions to the physiology of normal development.
Methods
To further assess the impact of prenatal e-cig aerosol exposure on maternal and fetal health, we examined the amino acid signature profiles in maternal and fetal plasma, as well as in the fetal lungs, a sensitive target organ for prenatal tobacco product exposure. Pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of three groups and were exposed to either e-cig aerosols containing nicotine, e-cig aerosols without nicotine, or room air. Dams were exposed utilizing a state-of-the-art custom engineered e-cig vaping system that is compatible with commercially available e-cig atomizers and enables a translational inhalation delivery method comparable to human vaping.
Results
We determined that gestational exposure to e-cig aerosols results in significant alterations to the amino acid profile in the maternal and fetal compartments, including the fetal lungs. The data shows a targeted disruption to the nitric oxide pathway, branched-chain amino acid metabolism, fetal protein synthesis, and urea cycle.
Conclusion
The data presented herein provides additional support that gestational e-cig aerosol exposure can impact crucial biological processes and exemplifies the need for extensive research on exposure to e-cig aerosols.
First report of e-cig induced alterations to maternal/fetal amino acid profile.
Translational vaping paradigm utilizing custom engineered vaping system.
Analysis of amino acids show gestational e-cig exposure has significant effects.
Fetal lungs may be a sensitive target to gestational e-cig aerosol exposure.
Marker of dysregulation in branched-chain amino acid metabolism and urea cycle.
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