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E-cigarette vapour boosts the production of inflammatory chemicals and disables key protective cells in the lung that keep the air spaces clear of potentially harmful particles. The vapour impairs the activity of alveolar macrophanges which engulf and remove dust particles, bacteria, and allergens that have evaded the other mechanical defences of the respiratory tract.
E-cigarettes is more harmful than we think, the vapour increases the risk of chronic lung disease. Researchers devised a mechanical procedure to mimic vaping and produce condensate from the vapour. They extracted alveolar macrophages from lung tissue samples provided by eight non-smokers who had never had asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD.
A third of the cells were exposed to plain e-cigarette fluid, a third to different strengths of the artificially vaped condensate with and without nicotine, and a third to nothing for 24 hours. The results showed that the condensate was significantly more harmful to the cells than e-cigarette fluid and that these effects worsened as the ‘dose’ increased.
After 24 hours of exposure the total number of viable cells exposed to the vaped condensate was significantly reduced compared to the untreated cells, and condensate containing nicotine exaggerated this effect. Exposure to the condensate increased cell death and boosted production of oxygen free radicals by a factor of 50, and it significantly increased the production of inflammatory chemicals.
The ability of cells exposed to vaped condensate to engulf bacteria was significantly impaired, although treatment with an antioxidant restored this function and helped lessen some of the other harmful effects. The researchers conclude that the vaping process can damage vital immune system cells at least under laboratory conditions. Exposure of macrophages to e-cigarette vapour condensate induced many of the same cellular and functional changes in alveolar macrophage function seen in cigarette smokers and patients with COPD.