INTRODUCTION Bacteria have been extensively implicated in the development of smoking related diseases, such as COPD, by either direct infection or bacteria-mediated inflammation. In response to the health risks associated with tobacco exposure, the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) has increased. This study compared the effect of e-cig vapour (ECV) and cigarette smoke (CSE) on the virulence and inflammatory potential of key lung pathogens (Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). METHODS Biofilm formation, virulence in the Galleria mellonella infection model, antibiotic susceptibility and IL-8/TNF-α production in A549 cells, were compared between bacteria exposed to ECV, CSE and non-exposed bacteria. RESULTS Statistically significant increases in biofilm and cytokine secretion were observed following bacterial exposure to either ECV or CSE, compared to non-exposed bacteria; the effect of exposure to ECV on bacterial phenotype and virulence was comparable, and in some cases greater, than that observed following CSE exposure. Treatment of A549 cells with cell signaling pathway inhibitors prior to infection, did not suggest that alternative signaling pathways were being activated following exposure of bacteria to either ECV or CSE. CONCLUSIONS These findings therefore suggest that ECV and CSE can induce changes in phenotype and virulence of key lung pathogens, which may increase bacterial persistence and inflammatory potential.

中文翻译：

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电子烟蒸气会增加呼吸道病原体的毒力和炎症潜力。


引言 细菌通过直接感染或细菌介导的炎症与吸烟相关疾病（例如慢性阻塞性肺病）的发展密切相关。为了应对与烟草暴露相关的健康风险，电子烟（e-cigs）的使用有所增加。本研究比较了电子烟蒸汽 (ECV) 和香烟烟雾 (CSE) 对主要肺部病原体（流感嗜血杆菌、肺炎链球菌、金黄色葡萄球菌和铜绿假单胞菌）的毒力和炎症潜力的影响。方法比较暴露于 ECV、CSE 和未暴露细菌的生物膜形成、大蜡螟感染模型中的毒力、A549 细胞中的抗生素敏感性和 IL-8/TNF-α 产生。结果 与未暴露的细菌相比，细菌暴露于 ECV 或 CSE 后，生物膜和细胞因子分泌显着增加；接触 ECV 对细菌表型和毒力的影响与接触 CSE 后观察到的影响相当，在某些情况下甚至更大。在感染前用细胞信号通路抑制剂处理 A549 细胞，并不表明细菌暴露于 ECV 或 CSE 后替代信号通路被激活。结论 因此，这些发现表明 ECV 和 CSE 可以诱导关键肺部病原体表型和毒力的变化，这可能会增加细菌的持久性和炎症潜力。