Effects of Electronic (E)‐cigarette Vapor and Cigarette Smoke in Cultured Vocal Fold Fibroblasts

Objective The public use of electronic‐cigarettes (e‐cigs) is rapidly growing. When heated, e‐cigs produce a vapor that is inhaled. The vocal folds are among the first tissues exposed to this insult. However, the impact of e‐cigs on vocal fold health is almost entirely unknown. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of e‐cig vapor on cultured human vocal fold fibroblasts (hVFFs), the primary cell type of the lamina propria. We compared the cellular effects of e‐cig vapor without and with nicotine and conventional cigarette smoke. Study Design In vitro. Methods E‐cig vapor extract (EVE) and cigarette smoke extract (CSE) were created by bubbling vapor and smoke, respectively, into the cell culture medium. hVFFs were exposed to EVE without or with nicotine or CSE for 24 hours. Untreated cells were used as a control group. Cells were harvested, and cytotoxicity, extracellular matrix and inflammatory gene expression, and DNA damage were assessed. Results Undiluted EVE without and with nicotine reduced the viability of hVFFs to a cytotoxic level. CSE reduced hVFFs viability to a greater extent than EVE and induced DNA damage as measured by DNA double‐strand breaks. No changes in gene expression were observed following EVE or CSE exposure. Conclusion EVE induces cytotoxicity in hVFFs. However, cellular responses were greater following exposure to CSE, suggesting cigarette smoke may induce more harm, at least in the short term. Findings from this investigation improve our understanding of responses of hVFFs to e‐cigs and form the basis for an in vitro methodology to study the vocal fold responses to these products. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope , 133:139–146, 2023