Comparison of the effects of electronic cigarette vapours and tobacco smoke extracts on human neutrophils in vitro .

These observations suggest that ECE aerosols may inhibit some of the immuno-protective activities of neutrophils such as ROS production and elastase release by activated cells, the effect of which was not enhanced by inclusion of nicotine. The inhibitory effects of CSE were significantly more pronounced than those of ECEs, especially so for suppression of NET formation and platelet activation. If operative , these harmful immunosuppressive effects of ECEs may compromise intrinsic pulmonary antimicrobial defence mechanisms, albeit less so than cigarette smoke.