E-cigarettes change cell behaviour

A new study shows that e-cigarettes affect cells in a similar way to tobacco.

Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, work by vaporising a liquid that contains nicotine, rather than burning tobacco, and not much is currently known about whether using these devices can affect human health.

In this study, the researchers looked at the effect of the vapour produced by e-cigarettes on human bronchial cells, the cells found in the tubes that take air to the lungs, and saw the same mutations found in smokers at risk of lung cancer.

The cells were grown in a laboratory where the researchers compared cells that were exposed to e-cigarette vapour and cells exposed to tobacco smoke. Although the cells did not behave exactly the same, there were striking similarities.

The researchers are now looking to research whether these changes to behaviour are similar to that of cancer cells.

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