Laboratory experiments suggest that a flavoring chemical used in high concentrations and widely found in e-cigarettes may disrupt normal fetal development in pregnant women who use these products.
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Researchers studied the effects of the flavoring compound vanillin in test tubes, given that it is unethical to test the chemical on human fetuses in pregnant women.
The human embryonic stem cells used in the experiments, which resemble those found in human embryos during the third week of pregnancy, possess the ability to differentiate into any cell type.
When researchers exposed the cells to microscopic amounts of vanillin, they found that micromolar concentrations tended to kill the cells, while nanomolar concentrations caused the cells to lose their ability to develop into any cell type.
Prue Talbot, lead author of the study from the University of California, Riverside, stated in a release: "These changes could be very serious and could impair normal embryonic development."
The membrane of embryonic cells is known to contain a protein called TRPV4, which binds with vanillin.
When researchers blocked the activity of this protein, vanillin's effect on the stem cells was also inhibited, leading them to conclude that this protein mediates the flavor's impact on the cells.
The researchers cautioned that results obtained in test tubes do not necessarily mean the exact same effects will occur in women and their fetuses.
However, the study could help explain why vaping is associated with difficulty conceiving and miscarriages in women, according to the report published in the journal Human Reproduction.
Talbot noted: "Women naturally do not know what chemicals are present in e-cigarette products... Our findings suggest they should exercise caution, and doctors should advise them against using e-cigarettes during pregnancy, especially if they experience difficulty conceiving or are prone to miscarriage."
Sky News
