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Further, TMPRSS2, an enzyme essential for the virus to infect cells, was found to show increased activity in tissues exposed to aerosols with nicotine.
Prue Talbot, a professor at UC Riverside, said that e-cigarette users should be cautious about vaping as some products will increase their susceptibility toS-CoV-2 infection.
“It would probably be best for vapers to quit vaping for the protection of their health and to stop nicotine dependency,” Talbot said.
“If they cannot stop vaping, it is better to vape aerosols produced from an e-liquid with acidic pH or with benzoic acid to prevent the enhancedS-CoV-2 infection caused by nicotine, propylene glycol, and vegetable glycerin.
However, inhalation of benzoic acid has its own risk, and data is still limited on this topic,” she said.
The researchers acknowledged that the relationship between e-cigarettes andS-CoV-2 susceptibility is complex.
“The complexity is attributed to a wide range of available e-liquids, the chemical composition of each e-liquid, and different models of e-cigarettes,” Phandthong said.
“Even with just two e-cigarettes, we found the aerosols and individual ingredients produced different effects onS-CoV-2 infection,” he said.
The researchers hope the US Food and Drug Administration will use their findings to implement regulatory laws on e-cigarette products.
“Our findings could also help improve the design of clinical trials involving the use of tobacco products andS-CoV-2 infection,” Phandthong added.
