Heterogeneous deposition of regular and mentholated little cigar smoke in the lungs of Sprague-Dawley rats.

BACKGROUND: Quantifying the dose and distribution of tobacco smoke in the respiratory system is critical for understanding its toxicity, addiction potential, and health impacts. Epidemiologic studies indicate that the incidence of lung tumors varies across different lung regions, suggesting there may be a heterogeneous deposition of smoke particles leading to greater health risks in specific regions. Despite this, few studies have examined the lobar spatial distribution of inhaled particles from tobacco smoke. This gap in knowledge, coupled with the growing popularity of little cigars among youth, underscores the need for additional research with little cigars. RESULTS: In our study, we analyzed the lobar deposition in rat lungs of smoke particles from combusted regular and mentholated Swisher Sweets little cigars. Twelve-week-old male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to smoke particles at a concentration of 84 ± 5 mg/m3 for 2 h, after which individual lung lobes were examined. We utilized Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry to quantify lobar chromium concentrations, serving as a smoke particle tracer. Our findings demonstrated an overall higher particle deposition from regular little cigars than from the mentholated ones. Higher particle deposition fraction was observed in the left and caudal lobes than other lobes. We also observed sex-based differences in the normalized deposition fractions among lobes. Animal study results were compared with the multi-path particle dosimetry (MPPD) model predictions, which showed that the model overestimated particle deposition in certain lung regions. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings revealed that the particle deposition varied between different little cigar products. The results demonstrated a heterogenous deposition pattern, with higher particle deposition observed in the left and caudal lobes, especially with the mentholated little cigars. Additionally, we identified disparities between our measurements and the MPPD model. This discrepancy highlights the need to enhance the accuracy of models before extrapolating animal study results to human lung deposition. Overall, our study provides valuable insights for estimating the dose of little cigars during smoking for toxicity research.

Persistence of serotonergic enhancement of airway response in a model of childhood asthma.

The persistence of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and serotonergic enhancement of airway smooth muscle (ASM) contraction induced by ozone (O3) plus allergen has not been evaluated. If this mechanism persists after a prolonged recovery, it would indicate that early-life exposure to O3 plus allergen induces functional changes predisposing allergic individuals to asthma-related symptoms throughout life, even in the absence of environmental insult. A persistent serotonergic mechanism in asthma exacerbations may offer a novel therapeutic target, widening treatment options for patients with asthma. The objective of this study was to determine if previously documented AHR and serotonin-enhanced ASM contraction in allergic monkeys exposed to O3 plus house dust mite allergen (HDMA) persist after prolonged recovery. Infant rhesus monkeys sensitized to HDMA were exposed to filtered air (FA) (n = 6) or HDMA plus O3 (n = 6) for 5 months. Monkeys were then housed in a FA environment for 30 months. At 3 years, airway responsiveness was assessed. Airway rings were then harvested, and ASM contraction was evaluated using electrical field stimulation with and without exogenous serotonin and serotonin-subtype receptor antagonists. Animals exposed to O3 plus HDMA exhibited persistent AHR. Serotonin exacerbated the ASM contraction in the exposure group but not in the FA group. Serotonin subtype receptors 2, 3, and 4 appear to drive the response. Our study shows that AHR and serotonin-dependent exacerbation of cholinergic-mediated ASM contraction induced by early-life exposure to O3 plus allergen persist for at least 2.5 years and may contribute to a persistent asthma phenotype.

Comparison of nonparametric and parametric methods for time-frequency heart rate variability analysis in a rodent model of cardiovascular disease.

The aim of time-varying heart rate variability spectral analysis is to detect and quantify changes in the heart rate variability spectrum components during nonstationary events. Of the methods available, the nonparametric short-time Fourier Transform and parametric time-varying autoregressive modeling are the most commonly employed. The current study (1) compares short-time Fourier Transform and autoregressive modeling methods influence on heart rate variability spectral characteristics over time and during an experimental ozone exposure in mature adult spontaneously hypertensive rats, (2) evaluates the agreement between short-time Fourier Transform and autoregressive modeling method results, and (3) describes the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Although similar trends were detected during ozone exposure, statistical comparisons identified significant differences between short-time Fourier Transform and autoregressive modeling analysis results. Significant differences were observed between methods for LF power (p ≤ 0.014); HF power (p ≤ 0.011); total power (p ≤ 0.027); and normalized HF power (p = 0.05). Furthermore, inconsistencies between exposure-related observations accentuated the lack of agreement between short-time Fourier Transform and autoregressive modeling overall. Thus, the short-time Fourier Transform and autoregressive modeling methods for time-varying heart rate variability analysis could not be considered interchangeable for evaluations with or without interventions that are known to affect cardio-autonomic activity.

Ultrafine Particulate Matter Combined With Ozone Exacerbates Lung Injury in Mature Adult Rats With Cardiovascular Disease.

Particulate matter (PM) and ozone (O3) are dominant air pollutants that contribute to development and exacerbation of multiple cardiopulmonary diseases. Mature adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD) are particularly susceptible to air pollution-related cardiopulmonary morbidities and mortalities. The aim was to investigate the biologic potency of ultrafine particulate matter (UFPM) combined with O3 in the lungs of mature adult normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive (SH) Wistar-Kyoto rats. Conscious, mature adult male normal Wistar-Kyoto (NW) and SH rats were exposed to one of the following atmospheres: filtered air (FA); UFPM (∼ 250 µg/m3); O3 (1.0 ppm); or UFPM + O3 (∼ 250 µg/m3 + 1.0 ppm) combined for 6 h, followed by an 8 h FA recovery period. Lung sections were evaluated for lesions in the large airways, terminal bronchiolar/alveolar duct regions, alveolar parenchyma, and vasculature. NW and SH rats were similarly affected by the combined-pollutant exposure, displaying severe injury in both large and small airways. SH rats were particularly susceptible to O3 exposure, exhibiting increased injury scores in terminal bronchioles and epithelial degeneration in large airways. UFPM-exposure groups had minimal histologic changes. The chemical composition of UFPM was altered by the addition of O3, indicating that ozonolysis promoted compound degradation. O3 increased the biologic potency of UFPM, resulting in greater lung injury following exposure. Pathologic manifestations of CVD may confer susceptibility to air pollution by impairing normal lung defenses and responses to exposure.