Abstracts from the 8th International Conference on cGMP Generators, Effectors and Therapeutic Implications

This work was supported by a restricted research grant of Bayer AG

Varied effects of tobacco smoke and e-cigarette vapor suggest that nicotine does not affect endothelium-dependent relaxation and nitric oxide signaling

Chronic smoking causes dysfunction of vascular endothelial cells, evident as a reduction of flow-mediated dilation in smokers, but the role of nicotine is still controversial. Given the increasing use of e-cigarettes and other nicotine products, it appears essential to clarify this issue. We studied extracts from cigarette smoke (CSE) and vapor from e-cigarettes (EVE) and heated tobacco (HTE) for their effects on vascular relaxation, endothelial nitric oxide signaling, and the activity of soluble guanylyl cyclase. The average nicotine concentrations of CSE, EVE, and HTE were 164, 800, and 85 µM, respectively. At a dilution of 1:3, CSE almost entirely inhibited the relaxation of rat aortas and porcine coronary arteries to acetylcholine and bradykinin, respectively, while undiluted EVE, with a 15-fold higher nicotine concentration, had no significant effect. With about 50% inhibition at 1:2 dilution, the effect of HTE was between CSE and EVE. Neither extract affected endothelium-independent relaxation to an NO donor. At the dilutions tested, CSE was not toxic to cultured endothelial cells but, in contrast to EVE, impaired NO signaling and inhibited NO stimulation of soluble guanylyl cyclase. Our results demonstrate that nicotine does not mediate the impaired endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation caused by smoking

Varied effects of tobacco smoke and e-cigarette vapor suggest that nicotine does not affect endothelium-dependent relaxation and nitric oxide signaling

Abstract Chronic smoking causes dysfunction of vascular endothelial cells, evident as a reduction of flow-mediated dilation in smokers, but the role of nicotine is still controversial. Given the increasing use of e-cigarettes and other nicotine products, it appears essential to clarify this issue. We studied extracts from cigarette smoke (CSE) and vapor from e-cigarettes (EVE) and heated tobacco (HTE) for their effects on vascular relaxation, endothelial nitric oxide signaling, and the activity of soluble guanylyl cyclase. The average nicotine concentrations of CSE, EVE, and HTE were 164, 800, and 85 µM, respectively. At a dilution of 1:3, CSE almost entirely inhibited the relaxation of rat aortas and porcine coronary arteries to acetylcholine and bradykinin, respectively, while undiluted EVE, with a 15-fold higher nicotine concentration, had no significant effect. With about 50% inhibition at 1:2 dilution, the effect of HTE was between CSE and EVE. Neither extract affected endothelium-independent relaxation to an NO donor. At the dilutions tested, CSE was not toxic to cultured endothelial cells but, in contrast to EVE, impaired NO signaling and inhibited NO stimulation of soluble guanylyl cyclase. Our results demonstrate that nicotine does not mediate the impaired endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation caused by smoking

Effects of flavoring compounds used in electronic cigarette refill liquids on endothelial and vascular function.

Electronic cigarette refill liquids are commercially provided with a wide variety of flavoring agents. A recent study suggested that several common flavors may scavenge nitric oxide (NO) and cause endothelial dysfunction. It was the aim of the present study to investigate the effects of these flavors on NO/cyclic GMP-mediated signaling and vascular relaxation. We tested the flavoring agents for effects on Ca2+-induced cGMP accumulation and NO synthase activation in cultured endothelial cells. NO scavenging was studied with NO-activated soluble guanylate cyclase and as NO release from a NO donor, measured with a NO electrode. Blood vessel function was studied with precontracted rat aortic rings in the absence and presence of acetylcholine or a NO donor. Cinnamaldehyde inhibited Ca2+-stimulated endothelial cGMP accumulation and NO synthase activation at ≥0.3 mM. Cinnamaldehyde and diacetyl inhibited NO-activated soluble guanylate cyclase with IC50 values of 0.56 (0.54-0.58) and 0.29 (0.24-0.36) mM, respectively, and caused moderate NO scavenging at 1 mM that was not mediated by superoxide anions. The other compounds did not scavenge NO at 1 mM. None of the flavorings interfered with acetylcholine-induced vascular relaxation, but they caused relaxation of pre-contracted aortas. The most potent compounds were eugenol and cinnamaldehyde with EC50 values of ~0.5 mM. Since the flavors did not affect endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation, NO scavenging by cinnamaldehyde and diacetyl does not result in impaired blood vessel function. Although not studied in vivo, the low potency of the compounds renders it unlikely that the observed effects are relevant to humans inhaling flavored vapor from electronic cigarettes