The use of nicotine and cannabis products continues to rise in many regions of the world. Additionally, new methods of administration (i.e., electronic cigarettes) and loosening legislation on some products have served to further fuel their popularity. Decades of research into inhaled irritants, such as cigarette smoke and environmental pollutants, have uncovered the capacity of these substances to modulate the physiology of lung-resident cells and prompt localized inflammation that encourages the development of pulmonary disease. Despite these recent scientific advances, therapies remain limited for associated lung diseases, and a great deal of room remains for translational findings to better inform the development of new treatment strategies. Moreover, given the continual appearance of new vapor and cannabis-derived products on the market, there is an urgent need to better understand how new products might affect the physiology of local lung cells.
The journal, Experimental Lung Research, is issuing a call for manuscripts for the Article Collection, “Peering through the Haze: Uncovering the Cellular Consequences of Inhaled Nicotine and Cannabis Products.” This collection seeks to deepen the current understanding of the cellular and immunological effects of tobacco smoke, e-cigarette vapor, and cannabis-derived products on the lung by highlighting innovative in vitro and in vivo findings. Of particular interest are relevant review articles and/or research articles that focus on the following subtopics:
- Findings that emphasize the genetic, biochemical, or physiological ramifications of nicotine and cannabis products on airway epithelial cells
- Novel insights into the pulmonary inflammation driven by nicotine and cannabis products
- New understanding into the mechanisms of lung injury caused by inhaled nicotine, tobacco, and cannabis products
- Findings that link newly emerged vapor and cannabis products to chronic lung diseases
- Discoveries that underscore how nicotine and cannabis products influence host-pathogen interactions and lung infection
Dr. Matthew Madison is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. During his extensive career in pulmonary research, he has utilized in vivo and in vitro systems to investigate the effects of inhaled nicotine products, including both conventional and electronic cigarettes. His specific research interests include understanding how inhaled nicotine products manipulate airway epithelia and resident immune populations to drive the disease processes associated with acute and chronic lung injury.
Dr. Madison has no conflicts of interest to disclose regarding this work.
