Animal Experiments Show E-Cigarettes Increase the Risk of Fatty Liver

E-cigarettes have become increasingly popular in recent years, with some advertisements claiming they are safer than traditional cigarettes. However, experiments on mice have shown that exposure to e-cigarette environments leads to additional fat accumulation in the liver, which is harmful to health.

Research leader: "We conclude that e-cigarettes are not as safe as advertised." He believes that this research result has significant implications for public health and tobacco regulation policies.

Previous studies have confirmed that nicotine in traditional tobacco is related to non-alcoholic fatty liver, but there has been a lack of research on the long-term effects of e-cigarettes on the liver.

Research experiment
 
In a 12-week experiment, all mice were fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet. One group of mice was exposed to an aerosol environment created by e-cigarettes until their blood nicotine levels were comparable to those of smokers or vapers. The control group of mice was placed in a saline aerosol environment.

Researchers collected liver samples from these mice and used RNA sequencing technology to analyze how their genes were affected by e-cigarettes.

The results showed that mice exposed to the e-cigarette environment had 433 genes related to fatty liver that were abnormal. Additionally, genes related to the biological clock in this group of mice also changed, and disruptions in the biological clock can accelerate the progression of liver diseases, including fatty liver.