E-cigs shut down hundreds of immune system genes—regular cigs don’t

[Logical]

WASHINGTON—It’s widely assumed that swapping cigarette puffing for vapor huffing is better for health—after all, electronic cigarettes that heat up and atomize a liquid concoction can skip all the hazards of combustion and smoke. But researchers are still scrambling to understand the health effects of e-cig use (aka vaping) and to track down the variable and undisclosed components of those vaporized mixtures. The most recent data hints at unexpected health effects unique to e-cig use.

After comparing genetic information swabbed from the noses of smokers, vapers, and non-users of both, researchers found that smoking suppresses the activity of 53 genes involved in the immune system. Vaping also suppressed those 53 immune genes—along with 305 others. The results were presented Friday at the annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington.

Though research on the significance of that gene suppression is still ongoing, the initial results suggest that e-cig users may have compromised immune responses, making them potentially more vulnerable to infections and diseases.

“The gene expression changes we’re seeing are consistent with a modified immune response,” lead researcher Ilona Jaspers of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill told Ars. “Any time you change [the immune system], it's probably out of balance," she said, explaining that a hyper-immune response or a weak response is problematic. Whether the imbalance caused by e-cigs leads to boosted infection risks or other immune diseases, “we don’t know,” Jaspers added.

More at :

http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/02/e-cigs-shut-down-hundreds-of-immune-system-genes-regular-cigs-dont/

[Holly_Hobby]

1. The first question I ask when presented with research is...Who paid for it? n/t

[dixiegrrrrl]

12. I am so happy to hear what you said!

Hoping more and more people are getting wise to authors of studies.

[nichomachus]

28. Well, knowing the authors can tell you a lot sometimes

There are professional research whores, but the sponsor of the studies tells you more.

The Tobacco Institute is pernicious in that, when giving out a grant, part of the deal is that big tobacco controls the publication of the study. If you don't find something that looks good for them -- or bad for their opposition -- the study will never see the light of day. In a publish-or-perish academic environment, no researcher want to spend a year or two of his or her life on something that will end up locked in a vault in Winston-Salem.

[jmowreader]

18. I followed the link...

There seem to be three universities involved in the study: New York University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Louisville.

Hmm...taking a guess here, but RJ Reynolds is headquartered in NC so maybe it's them?

[Faux pas]

2. Kickin'

[dchill]

3. Nope. I used to get colds all the time...

I switched to ecigs 6 years ago, and in that time I've had one cold. Also, I can breathe now. Anything anti-vaping is from the tobacco lobby.

[Abq_Sarah]

5. I would tend to agree

I'm much healthier than I was 6 years ago when I switched. I no longer get my yearly bronchitis infections and the only thing that bothers me now is the typical spring allergies.

[beevul]

6. My experience as well. N/T

[meow2u3]

7. Anti-vaping propaganda not only comes from the tobacco lobby

It also comes from the pharma lobby--in spades--because vapor products are competing with their (heretofore) monopoly on smoking cessation products. They stand more to lose if e-cigs remain legal, cheap, and readily available for adult use.

[Orrex]

9. Looks like you've found the antidote!

Whoops--I mean the anecdote. My mistake.

[Logical]

10. Yes, your single experience overrides all other studies! nt

[dchill]

14. I guess I should just go back to cigarettes, then.

I won't, though. I know several people who switched to gaping, and to a person, they feel much better and get sick less often. Your science seems to ignore the fact that people who vape are no longer burning dried plants and inhaling the resultant smoke - the real killer of the smoker. They (vapers) are also more in control of their nicotine intake.

It seems to me that the cessation of deliberate smoke inhalation would be a benefit to health, including getting sick less often. For me it is an obvious fact.

[Logical]

17. Or use ecigs to stop in a reasonable period of time. nt

[dchill]

19. Go away.

[LanternWaste]

30. All other studies reach the same conclusion?

All other studies reach the same conclusion?

[kentauros]

31. Not plural. ONE study.

Follow-up studies are part of the whole study, not that new researchers are doing new studies to replicate the first one. This also has an extremely low human sampling:

For the study, Jaspers and colleagues mined the noses of different groups of healthy people—around a dozen each of cigarette smokers, e-cigarette vapers, and people who didn’t use either.

The most recent data hints at unexpected health effects unique to e-cig use.

Since this article is rife with "weasel words" (normally a red flag around here for studies posted that aren't generally accepted by DU's science-police) I don't trust much of what was written. Too much is left out, no link to the white paper, and so on.

[ShadowLiberal]

11. Or your body has simply built up immunities to more variations of the cold virus over time

There's a reason why when kids get cold their parents can often avoid it.

There's a few hundred variations of the cold virus, every time you get a cold your body builds up an immunity to that strain of the cold virus.

Hence the longer you've been living, and the more colds you've gotten throughout your life, the more likely you are to avoid catching a cold when it goes around.

So I wouldn't put much weight on your first hand experience. I rarely get colds anymore either, and I've never smoked or vaped.

[jmowreader]

20. You mean, the tobacco lobby that is hip deep in the e-cig market now

There's no such thing as synthetic nicotine, so all the nicotine for e-cigs has to be extracted from tobacco. Every cigarette company out there has at least one e-cig system on the market. In general people don't bite the hand that feeds them, and the cigarette companies are making lots of money selling e-cigs.

If you want to chase down the anti-vaping propaganda, start with the Center for Science in the Public Interest - aka the No Fun Club.

[beevul]

21. Thats a misrepresentation of reality.

In the real world, nobody goes to a vapor store to buy a crappy cigalike.

And the ones who buy cigalikes from the corner convenience store take a week or two tops to figure out that they're crappy products.

Go into a vape shop asking for a cigalike, and the folks behind the counter will look at you like you're speaking martian.

Every cigarette company out there has at least one e-cig system on the market.

And they are to the last, crappy products that anyone who vapes can identify with ease as a crappy product.

Today, I visited two new vape shops I had never been to before, and neither had cigalikes, just like the ones I normally go to.

[dchill]

24. Exactly.

Within the last year, all the "cigalikes" have been bought up by major tobacco companies.

[Mariana]

25. I may need a tinfoil hat...

but I have to wonder if the tobacco companies are making such shitty products on purpose - hoping that people will try them, hate them, give up on the idea of vaping, and continue to smoke.

[Dont call me Shirley]

23. I used to get bronchitis and pneumonia until I quit smoking altogether.

[Kalidurga]

4. They should keep studying for long term effects.

I see there is a proposed mechanism for the decreased immunity so it's not just a bunch of woo. However, I do have concerns about who paid for the study and if they will follow up in a few years and see if their findings hold up.

[SheilaT]

8. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if there are long term ill effects from vaping.

We're still very early on in it.

And at best, I doubt it is on a par with not smoking or vaping at all.

[dchill]

15. Long term ill effects.

In the long term, we all run afoul of something. I've been vaping for over 6 years, and truly believe that I'm better off.

[Bluenorthwest]

13. The article at the link claims to take me to the results of the study but instead it goes to an

announcement of the symposium at AAAS, no results nor data. Well, some data in that the organizer and two of the four speakers come from top two tobacco growing States Kentucky and North Carolina. So click on 'results' and you find the fact that some people from tobacco states have a study saying you might as well smoke.....surprise!

[dchill]

16. You know, I would have bet on something like that.

[Dont call me Shirley]

22. But they're so much safer than Cigarettes...

My son's throat would puff up as round as his face from e-cigs. That's some dangerous shit.

[Mariana]

26. I hope he saw a doctor after having such an unusual reaction.

The ingredients in vapor liquid aren't unique to vapor liquid, they are used in other products. It would be a good idea to find out if he has a severe allergy to any of them.

[stonecutter357]

27. keep that E-cigs crap away from me

it smells like shit.

[HuckleB]

29. Two more pieces on this research presentation.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/306444.php

http://www.science20.com/news_articles/put_that_in_your_ecigarette_and_vape_it_or_should_you-165643

It will be interesting to see if it is published, as well as presented. Certainly, follow-up is warranted. There is too little research on the topic.