ArticleRespiratory research2022
Propylene glycol, a component of electronic cigarette liquid, damages epithelial cells in human small airways.
Article in Respiratory research, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 37 citations in OpenAlex.
- Review of quantitative and functional lung imaging evidence of vaping-related lung injury.Frontiers in medicine · 2024Pooled it
- Vaping-related lung disease: a narrative review.Journal of thoracic disease · 2026Review
- Toxicity and Appeal of Flavoured E-Cigarettes and Flavour Ban Outcomes: A Narrative Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Review
- In Vitro Assessment of the Effects of Endodontic Sealers on Cell Viability, Adhesion, and Migration.Australian endodontic journal : the journal of the Australian Society of Endodontology Inc · 2025Article
- The respiratory epithelium in the era of vaping: insights fromEuropean respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2025Review
- Review
- Exposure to Toxic Compounds Using Alternative Smoking Products: Analysis of Empirical Data.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Clinical Impact of Vaping.Toxics · 2025Review
- E-Cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury: A Comprehensive Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Review
- Evidence update on the cancer risk of vaping e-cigarettes: A systematic review.Tobacco induced diseases · 2025Review
- Methods for a Non-Targeted Qualitative Analysis and Quantification of Benzene, Toluene, and Xylenes by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry of E-Liquids and Aerosols in Commercially Available Electronic Cigarettes in Mexico.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Single-cell transcriptomics reveals e-cigarette vapor-induced airway epithelial remodeling and injury.Respiratory research · 2024Article
- Multidisciplinary approaches in electronic nicotine delivery systems pulmonary toxicology: emergence of living and non-living bioinspired engineered systems.Communications engineering · 2024Review
- Multi-omic assessment shows dysregulation of pulmonary and systemic immunity to e-cigarette exposure.Respiratory research · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundElectronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are used worldwide as a substitute for conventional cigarettes. Although they are primarily intended to support smoking cessation, e-cigarettes have been identified as a gateway to smoking habits for young people. Multiple recent reports have described the health effects of inhaling e-cigarettes. E-cigarette liquid (e-liquid) is mainly composed of propylene glycol (PG) and glycerol (Gly), and the aerosol generated by these devices primarily contains these two components. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of PG and Gly on human small airway epithelial cells (SAECs).
methodsSAECs were exposed to PG or Gly, and cell proliferation, cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, DNA damage, cell cycle, and apoptosis were evaluated. Additionally, SAECs derived from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients (COPD-SAECs) were investigated.
resultsExposure of SAECs to PG significantly inhibited proliferation (1%, PG, p = 0.021; 2-4% PG, p < 0.0001) and decreased cell viability (1-4% PG, p < 0.0001) in a concentration-dependent manner. Gly elicited similar effects but to a reduced degree as compared to the same concentration of PG. PG also increased LDH release in a concentration-dependent manner (3% PG, p = 0.0055; 4% PG, p < 0.0001), whereas Gly did not show a significant effect on LDH release. SAECs exposed to 4% PG contained more cells that were positive for phosphorylated histone H2AX (p < 0.0001), a marker of DNA damage, and an increased proportion of cells in the G1 phase (p < 0.0001) and increased p21 expression (p = 0.0005). Moreover, caspase 3/7-activated cells and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 expression were increased in SAECs exposed to 4% PG (p = 0.0054). Furthermore, comparing COPD-SAECs to SAECs without COPD in PG exposure, cell proliferation, cell viability, DNA damage and apoptosis were significantly greater in COPD-SAECs.
conclusionPG damaged SAECs more than Gly. In addition, COPD-SAECs were more susceptible to PG than SAECs without COPD. Usage of e-cigarettes may be harmful to the respiratory system, especially in patients with COPD.
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Registered trials
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