Melatonin Vapes Contain Potential Contaminants and Alter the Human Bronchial Epithelial Transcriptome
Melatonin vaping products, touted for their faster absorption than oral melatonin supplements, have been gaining popularity among adolescents as sleep aid. Here, we elucidated the response of human bronchial epithelial cells (hBECs) to high levels of melatonin from vaped aerosols, investigated the uptake of melatonin by hBECs <i>in vitro</i>, and characterized the chemical composition of three commercially available melatonin vapes. Melatonin vape exposure decreased the secretion of chemokines and produced an immunosuppressive gene expression signature. The tested devices contained potential contaminants, including pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals. Further investigation is needed for melatonin vapes to determine their local and systemic toxicity.
Authors
- Charles R. Esther (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8081-2986)
- Charlotte A. Love (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5775-989X)
- Kevin D. Schichlein
- Ilona Jaspers (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8728-0305)
- Meghan E. Rebuli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1918-2257)
- Brandie M. Ehrmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6741-7914)
- Phillip W. Clapp (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8232-0849)
- Tara N. Guhr Lee
- Ned A. Porter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4447-7690)
- Hye‐Young Kim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9705-2525)
Institutions
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
- Vanderbilt University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Chemical Research in Toxicology
- Published
- 2024-11-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrestox.4c00295
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.27
Funders
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences