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. 2020 Jul 1:221:112911.
doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.112911. Epub 2020 Apr 11.

Effect of electronic cigarette aerosol exposure during gestation and lactation on learning and memory of adult male offspring rats

Nour Al-Sawalha  1 , Karem Alzoubi  2 , Omar Khabour  3 , Nareg Karaoghlanian  4 , Zahi Ismail  4 , Alan Shihadeh  4 , Thomas Eissenberg  5
Affiliations

Effect of electronic cigarette aerosol exposure during gestation and lactation on learning and memory of adult male offspring rats

Nour Al-Sawalha et al. Physiol Behav. .

Abstract

Introduction: Electronic cigarette (ECIG) use has increased worldwide, including among pregnant and breastfeeding women. In this study, we examined the effect of ECIG aerosol exposure during gestation and lactation on learning and memory of adult male offspring rats.

Methods: Rats were exposed to either fresh air or ECIG aerosol for one hour daily during gestational period as well as days 4-21 of lactation. Male offspring were followed through 19 weeks and then spatial learning and memory were tested by radial arm water maze (RAWM). The hippocampus was examined for biomarkers of harm, including oxidative stress, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

Results: Relative to exposure to fresh air, exposure to ECIG aerosol during gestation/lactation impaired long-term memory in adult offspring (P < 0.05). This impairment was associated with increased activity of superoxide dismutase in the hippocampus (P < 0.05). BDNF and the other tested oxidative stress biomarkers were not affected by ECIG aerosol exposure (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: In conclusion, ECIG aerosol exposure during gestation and lactation impaired long-term memory and increased the activity of superoxide dismutase in the hippocampus of offspring adult rats. These results support the development of strategies to enhance ECIG cessation during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Keywords: Brain derived neurotrophic factor; Electronic cigarette; Learning and memory; Offspring; Oxidative stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interest Dr. Eissenberg is a paid consultant in litigation against the tobacco industry and electronic cigarette industry and Drs. Eissenberg and Shihdaeh are named on a patent application for a device that measures the puffing behavior of electronic cigarette users. All other authors have no disclosures.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
ECIG aerosol exposure apparatus The ECIG aerosols are produced by an ECIG filled with a solution made of analytical grade propylene glycol (PG), glycerol (VG), and nicotine (free bases). The solution is composed of 70:30 PG:VG by volume, with a nicotine concentration of 18 mg/ml nicotine. The ECIG was powered by the control unit of a digitally controlled reverse-puffing machine. During each puff, the machine activates a pump that forces laboratory air into the air inlet ports of the ECIG. The resulting aerosol enters the whole body exposure chamber by ECIG mouthpiece. The whole body exposure chamber was fitted with a fresh air supply system. The exposure chamber had a removable ceiling fitted with flow ports for the aerosol inlet, fresh air inlet, and excess flow outlet.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Performance of adult offspring rats during learning phase of radial arm water maze. Offspring rats for dams that were exposed to fresh air (control) or ECIG aerosol for 1 hour per day (ECIG) during gestation and lactation were tested for learning (n =10; see text for details of ECIG device and liquid). Each offspring was trained for two sets of 6 trials each separated by 5 minutes rest phase. Performance of animals was recorded as the average number of errors in each trial. Values are expressed as mean ± SEM.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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