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 The Effect Of E-cigarette
Vapor On The Lungs Of
Adolescents And Young People
Ilona Jaspers, PhD
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
I have nothing to disclose
Outline
• Timeline of E-cigarettes
• Toxicity of Flavors
• Health Effects in Humans
• Antiviral Defense
• COVID-19
• What’s Next?
Timeline of E-cigarette Devices

Hickman et al., (in press)

https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/youth-tobacco-use/images/youth-tobacco-infographic-3.png
Toxicities Of Flavoring Chemicals

Omaiye EE et al., 2019

Cinnamaldehyde Inhibits Immune Cell Functions

Macrophages Neutrophils Natural Killer Cells

Ability to Ingest Ability to Ingest Ability Kill

Bacteria Bacteria Tumor/Virus-
infected Cell

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Clapp et al., 2017
Sini-cide Alters Macrophages
PG/VG 0.25% Sini-cide
Our Lab’s Research
Respiratory Host Defense

Macrophages

Neutrophils

E-Cigarettes
E-cigarette cause an overall
suppression of key host defense
functions and immune dysfunction
in the respiratory tract! 10
 Is vaping/e-cigarette use associated with
changes in respiratory antiviral host defense responses?
Human in vivo studies of Influenza Infections
•FluMist™ is a cold-adapted Live
Attenuated Influenza Virus (LAIV)
vaccine

•“cold-adapted”, thus replication

limited to nasal cavity (32oC)

•It generates a replicative but self

limited viral infection with innate and
immune host defense responses

•Provides a safe tool to study influenza

virus infections in vivo
 Evidence That E-cigs Affect Viral
Infections
Decreased Expression of Decreased Levels of LAIV-
Immune Genes specific Antibodies

Live-attenuated influenza virus (LAIV)

• Live – it replicates like normal flu
• Attenuated – milder and limited to nose

Recruited 1) Non-smokers, 2) Smokers,

and 3) E-cig Users

Rebuli et al., 2020

 COVID Antibodies After Vaccine –
The CAVE Study
• Cross-sectional analysis of nasal mucosal/serum COVID vaccine
antibodies comparing non-smokers and e-cigarette users

• Longitudinal analysis of nasal mucosal/serum COVID vaccine

antibodies in non-smokers and e-cigarette users

Does vaping/e-cigarette use affect the level and persistence of

COVID vaccine antibodies?
 Summary
• E-cigarette flavors significantly impair immune cell function (by altering cellular
bioenergetics)
• Vaping causes overall immune/host response alterations marked by antiviral host
defense dysfunction, increased markers of inflammation, and decreased mucosal
antibody formation

What’s Next?
How does vaping/e-cigarette use, particularly in adolescents,
modify susceptibility to COVID 19 and protective antibody formation?
 Acknowledgements
UNC-CEMALB Curriculum in Toxicology UNC/IE COEC
Terry Noah, M.D. Meghan Rebuli, Ph.D. Kathleen Gray
Neil Alexis, PhD Parker Duffney, Ph.D. Neasha Graves
Missy Brighton Phillip Clapp, PhD Megan Hughes
Martha Almond Adam Speen, PhD Megan Rodgers
Brian Ring Yael-Natalie Escobar, PhD Dana Haine
Carole Robinette Elise Hickman
William Bennett, PhD Alexia Perryman
Brett Winters
Grant Funding
UNC-SoPH/ESE UNC-CF Center TCORS (P50 HL 120100)
Rebecca Fry, Ph.D. Rob Tarran, Ph.D. T32 ES007126
Elizabeth Martin Arunava Ghosh, PhD
R01HL139369
Jason Surratt, PhD Claire Doerschuk, M.D.
Mehmet Kesimer, Ph.D.
Giorgia Radicione, PhD
Boris Reidel, PhD
UNC-Chemistry Scott Randell, PhD
Gary Glish, Ph.D. Hong Dang, PhD
Questions?

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