Acute exposure to waterpipe tobacco smoke induces changes in the oxidative and inflammatory markers in mouse lung

Abstract

Context: Tobacco smoking represents a global public health threat, claiming approximately 5 million lives a year. Waterpipe tobacco use has become popular particularly among youth in the past decade, buttressed by the perception that the waterpipe “filters” the smoke, rendering it less harmful than cigarette smoke.

Objective: In this study, we examined the acute exposure of waterpipe smoking on lung inflammation and oxidative stress in mice, and compared that to cigarette smoking.

Materials and methods: Mice were divided into three groups; fresh air control, cigarette and waterpipe. Animals were exposed to fresh air, cigarette, or waterpipe smoke using whole body exposure system one hour daily for 7 days.

Results: Both cigarette and waterpipe smoke exposure resulted in elevation of total white blood cell count, as well as absolute count of neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes (P < 0.01). Both exposures also elevated proinflammatory markers such as TNF-α and IL-6 in BALF (P < 0.05), and oxidative stress markers including GPx activity in lungs (P < 0.05). Moreover, waterpipe smoke increased catalase activity in the lung (P < 0.05). However, none of the treatments altered IL-10 levels.

Discussion and conclusion: Results of cigarette smoking confirmed previous finding. Waterpipe results indicate that, similar to cigarettes, exposure to waterpipe tobacco smoke is harmful to the lungs.

Keywords::

• Acute waterpipe smoke exposure
• cigarette smoking
• inflammation, lungs
• oxidative stress

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Mrs. Dana Shqair, Mr. Ma’an Odat and Mrs. Baraa Abu Rashed for their technical help.

Declaration of interest

This work has been done with funds from the Deanship of Scientific Research in Jordan University of Science and Technology; grant number 45/2011 to OK and NIH grants R03TW008371 and R01CA120142 to TE.