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Besaratinia A, Blumenfeld H, Tommasi S. Exploring the Utility of Long Non-Coding RNAs for Assessing the Health Consequences of Vaping. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8554. [PMID: 39126120 PMCID: PMC11313266 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Electronic cigarette (e-cig) use, otherwise known as "vaping", is widespread among adolescent never-smokers and adult smokers seeking a less-harmful alternative to combustible tobacco products. To date, however, the long-term health consequences of vaping are largely unknown. Many toxicants and carcinogens present in e-cig vapor and tobacco smoke exert their biological effects through epigenetic changes that can cause dysregulation of disease-related genes. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as prime regulators of gene expression in health and disease states. A large body of research has shown that lncRNAs regulate genes involved in the pathogenesis of smoking-associated diseases; however, the utility of lncRNAs for assessing the disease-causing potential of vaping remains to be fully determined. A limited but growing number of studies has shown that lncRNAs mediate dysregulation of disease-related genes in cells and tissues of vapers as well as cells treated in vitro with e-cig aerosol extract. This review article provides an overview of the evolution of e-cig technology, trends in use, and controversies on the safety, efficacy, and health risks or potential benefits of vaping relative to smoking. While highlighting the importance of lncRNAs in cell biology and disease, it summarizes the current and ongoing research on the modulatory effects of lncRNAs on gene regulation and disease pathogenesis in e-cig users and in vitro experimental settings. The gaps in knowledge are identified, priorities for future research are highlighted, and the importance of empirical data for tobacco products regulation and public health is underscored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Besaratinia
- Department of Population & Public Health Sciences, USC Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, M/C 9603, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; (H.B.); (S.T.)
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Liu CW, Le HHT, Denaro P, Dai Z, Shao NY, Ong SG, Lee WH. E-cigarettes Induce Dysregulation of Autophagy Leading to Endothelial Dysfunction in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Stem Cells 2023; 41:328-340. [PMID: 36640125 PMCID: PMC10128958 DOI: 10.1093/stmcls/sxad004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Given the increasing popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigs), it is imperative to evaluate the potential health risks of e-cigs, especially in users with preexisting health concerns such as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether differential susceptibility exists between healthy and patients with PAH to e-cig exposure and the molecular mechanisms contributing to it. Patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell-derived endothelial cells (iPSC-ECs) from healthy individuals and patients with PAH were used to investigate whether e-cig contributes to the pathophysiology of PAH and affects EC homeostasis in PAH. Our results showed that PAH iPSC-ECs showed a greater amount of damage than healthy iPSC-ECs upon e-cig exposure. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that differential expression of Akt3 may be responsible for increased autophagic flux impairment in PAH iPSC-ECs, which underlies increased susceptibility upon e-cig exposure. Moreover, knockdown of Akt3 in healthy iPSC-ECs significantly induced autophagic flux impairment and endothelial dysfunction, which further increased with e-cig treatment, thus mimicking the PAH cell phenotype after e-cig exposure. In addition, functional disruption of mTORC2 by knocking down Rictor in PAH iPSC-ECs caused autophagic flux impairment, which was mediated by downregulation of Akt3. Finally, pharmacological induction of autophagy via direct inhibition of mTORC1 and indirect activation of mTORC2 with rapamycin reverses e-cig-induced decreased Akt3 expression, endothelial dysfunction, autophagic flux impairment, and decreased cell viability, and migration in PAH iPSC-ECs. Taken together, these data suggest a potential link between autophagy and Akt3-mediated increased susceptibility to e-cig in PAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-wei Liu
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Hoai Huong Thi Le
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Philip Denaro
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Zhiyu Dai
- Translational Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Ning-Yi Shao
- Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, People’s Republic of China
| | - Sang-Ging Ong
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Won Hee Lee
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Translational Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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Jousma J, Han Z, Yan G, Nukala SB, Kwon Y, Thi Le HH, Li Y, Ong SB, Lee WH, Ong SG. Alteration of the N 6-methyladenosine epitranscriptomic profile in synthetic phthalate-treated human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived endothelial cells. Epigenomics 2022; 14:1139-1155. [PMID: 36314267 PMCID: PMC9710528 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2022-0110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to characterize the N6-methyladenosine epitranscriptomic profile induced by mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) exposure using a human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived endothelial cell model. Methods: A multiomic approach was employed by performing RNA sequencing in parallel with an N6-methyladenosine-specific microarray to identify mRNAs, lncRNAs, and miRNAs affected by MEHP exposure. Results: An integrative multiomic analysis identified relevant biological features affected by MEHP, while functional assays provided a phenotypic characterization of these effects. Transcripts regulated by the epitranscriptome were validated with quantitative PCR and methylated RNA immunoprecipitation. Conclusion: The authors' profiling of the epitranscriptome expands the scope of toxicological insights into known environmental toxins to under surveyed cellular contexts and emerging domains of regulation and is, therefore, a valuable resource to human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Jousma
- Department of Pharmacology & Regenerative Medicine, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, 909 S Wolcott Ave, COMRB 4100, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Zhenbo Han
- Department of Pharmacology & Regenerative Medicine, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, 909 S Wolcott Ave, COMRB 4100, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Gege Yan
- Department of Pharmacology & Regenerative Medicine, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, 909 S Wolcott Ave, COMRB 4100, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Sarath Babu Nukala
- Department of Pharmacology & Regenerative Medicine, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, 909 S Wolcott Ave, COMRB 4100, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Youjeong Kwon
- Department of Pharmacology & Regenerative Medicine, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, 909 S Wolcott Ave, COMRB 4100, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Hoai Huong Thi Le
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine, ABC-1 Building, 425 North 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
| | - Ya Li
- Department of Pharmacology & Regenerative Medicine, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, 909 S Wolcott Ave, COMRB 4100, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Sang-Bing Ong
- Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Hong Kong SAR, China
- Centre for Cardiovascular Genomics & Medicine (CCGM), Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine, CUHK, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Hong Kong Hub of Paediatric Excellence (HK HOPE), Hong Kong Children's Hospital (HKCH), Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Kunming Institute of Zoology – The Chinese University of Hong Kong (KIZ-CUHK) Joint Laboratory of Bioresources & Molecular Research of Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223 Yunnan, China
| | - Won Hee Lee
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine, ABC-1 Building, 425 North 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
| | - Sang-Ging Ong
- Department of Pharmacology & Regenerative Medicine, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, 909 S Wolcott Ave, COMRB 4100, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Hong Kong SAR, China
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, 909 S Wolcott Ave, COMRB 4100, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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A Review of Toxicity Mechanism Studies of Electronic Cigarettes on Respiratory System. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23095030. [PMID: 35563421 PMCID: PMC9102406 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23095030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have attracted much attention as a new substitute for conventional cigarettes. E-cigarettes are first exposed to the respiratory system after inhalation, and studies on the toxicity mechanisms of e-cigarettes have been reported. Current research shows that e-cigarette exposure may have potentially harmful effects on cells, animals, and humans, while the safety evaluation of the long-term effects of e-cigarette use is still unknown. Similar but not identical to conventional cigarettes, the toxicity mechanisms of e-cigarettes are mainly manifested in oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and DNA damage. This review will summarize the toxicity mechanisms and signal pathways of conventional cigarettes and e-cigarettes concerning the respiratory system, which could give researchers a better understanding and direction on the effects of e-cigarettes on our health.
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