Maternal Vaping during Pregnancy E-cigs Leads to Obesity in Offspring
Authors: Mills Amber , Nassabeh Sydney , Frazier James , Robinson Madison , Legg Preston , Shamma Allison , Hurley Audra , Chantler Paul , Dakhallah Duaa , Boyd Jonathan , Olfert I. Mark 
Published: May 2023

Electronic cigarettes (E-cigs) have been strategically marketed as a safer alternative to smoking even during pregnancy. Previous literature suggests that direct exposure to E-cigs disrupts insulin sensitivity and mitochondrial function. Yet, there are few studies looking into maternal E-cig exposure and the metabolic function of offspring, especially separating out the role of nicotine. We hypothesize that maternal vaping would induce vascular and metabolic disruption in offspring leading to obesity in adulthood. Female rats (N=25) were time-mated, and randomly assigned to the following exposure groups, ambient air (control, N=5), Ecig with no nicotine at either 5 (w)att or 30w (Ecig0-5w, n=5; Ecig0-30w, n=5) or Ecig with 50mg of nicotine (Ecig50-5w, n=5; Ecig50-30w, n=5). Exposure was 60 puffs/day (1.5hr/day, 5 days/week) beginning on gestational day 2-4 using whole-body chambers. E-liquid composition 50:50 vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol with no flavoring. Postnatal day ((PD)21) offspring were weighed and body composition was measured using an EchoMRI. Total fat, lean, and water content were measured. As the animal's aged body mass was recorded at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-months. Body weight at PD21 was significantly decreased in female (-16%±4%) and male (-18%±4%) offspring with all Ecig0 groups (independent of wattage) (p<0.05). In fat, lean and water mass this statistically significant decrease held true for Ecig0 offspring compared to controls (p<0.05). Surprisingly, the Ecig50 offspring overall did not follow a similar trend. Only the female 30w offspring showed a significant decrease (-15%±10%) in body weight compared to controls (p<0.05). As the offspring aged, the Ecig0 groups caught up in weight to air controls by 1-month. At 6-months, female and male offspring in both Ecig0 and Ecig50 groups were larger (18-28%) than air controls (p<0.05). This continued to 12-months of age with Ecig0 at a greater (range of 19-21%) than controls. At 12-months we also observed significant cerebrovascular impairment in Ecig0 groups, where middle cerebral artery reactivity (using pressure myography) as reduced in both 5- and 30-watt groups (24±6% and 53±5% change compared to Air; respectively; ANOVA exposure, p<0.05). Metabolic and vascular data from Ecig50 at 12-months are not yet available. These data show maternal vaping during pregnancy results in smaller offspring at weaning for the Ecig without nicotine, but not Ecig with nicotine; but as offspring age (regardless of nicotine) they gain more weight compared to controls. The wattage level used during vaping did not change this outcome. Taken together these data suggest maternal vaping during pregnancy (regardless of nicotine or wattage level) can negatively influence vascular function and alter body composition and metabolism in offspring resulting in greater weight gain (i.e. obesity) in adult offspring compared to controls.

AHA Collaborative Science Award

This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.