Effects of traditional cigarette and electronic cigarette on smooth muscle cell phenotypic modulation

Abstract

Background and Aims : Cigarette smoke (CS) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Whole traditional cigarette (TC) smoke contains over 7000 chemical components and several are deemed to be toxic. Thus, alternative next-generation tobacco products (E-cigarettes (E-cig)) are being developed as less dangerous. Vascular homeostasis is maintained by differentiated quiescent smooth muscle cells (SMCs) that, following environmental cues, may undergo transcriptional changes affecting contractile proteins and their proliferative phenotype.