Characterization and Application of the VITROCELL VC1 Smoke Exposure System and 3D EpiAirway Models for Toxicological and e-Cigarette Evaluations

Abstract

Abstract The VITROCELL VC1® smoke exposure machine is an aerosol exposure system that has been used to conduct toxicological assessments with cigarettes and e-cigarettes and can be used with the human 3D EpiAirway™ tissue model (MatTek Corporation). The goals of this study were to assess exposure parameters of the VC1, and evaluate donor-to-donor variability of three EpiAirway tissue donors with the following endpoints: viability, barrier integrity, and gene promoter/expression regulation. Additionally, we applied the EpiAirway model to assess the effects of aerosol from two reference combustible cigarettes and two e-cigarettes. Whole smoke (WS) exposures with Kentucky Reference 3R4F cigarettes and Cooperation Centre for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco (CORESTA) Monitor were conducted under International Organization for Standardization or Health Canada Intense (HCI) conditions, and e-cigarette exposures were conducted under modified HCI conditions. Particulate deposition and collection were consi...