Kingdom. E-mail addresses; l.j.leslie@aston.ac.uk; vasanthp@aston.ac.uk; jacksop1@aston.ac.uk; mabialaa@aston.ac.uk; pallettr@aston.ac.uk; stillmac@aston.ac.uk; l.marshall@aston.ac.uk A comparative study of electronic cigarette vapour extracts on airwayrelated cell lines in vitroThe use of electronic cigarettes (ECs) is rapidly increasing worldwide, however scientific evidence regarding EC cytotoxicity is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute cytotoxicity of EC vapour extract (ECE) on airway-related cells in vitro.Cigarette smoke extract (CSE), vapour extract of fifteen brands/flavours of ECs and the extract from the E-vehicle (propylene glycol and glycerine) was collected. Extracts, in concentrations of 100% to 12.5%, were added to human bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B, IB3-1 and C38), fibroblast (Wi-38) and macrophage (J774 and THP-1) cell lines.Viability was assessed after 24 hours using a standard XTT assay. Viability of less than 70% of control (no extract) was considered cytotoxic according to UNI EN ISO 10993-5 standards.CSE displayed a concentration-dependent influence on cell viability across all four cell lines with 100% producing the most toxic effect, therefore validating the model. ECEs reduced viability although this was not correlated with nicotine content or the Evehicle. However, several flavours proved cytotoxic, with variation between different brands and cell lines.These data indicate that not all ECs are the same and that use of a particular flavour or brand may have differing effects. The cell line used is also an important factor. More research is crucial to ascertain the health effects of different ECs before they can be accepted as a safe alternative to tobacco cigarettes.Keywords: Electronic cigarettes; airways; cytotoxicity; epithelials; in vitro models 3 IntroductionElectronic cigarettes (EC) first emerged onto the market in China in 2004 and entered the US market in 2007 (Regan et al. 2013). Advertised as a safe alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes, EC were soon introduced across different countries and their market has steadily risen. According to the UK's public health charity, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), 2.6 million adults in Great Britain currently use EC (ASH 2015). There has been a rapid global progression amongst high and low income countries, with EC use stabilising at around 17% of adult smokers, although awareness of these products is much higher, according to data pulled together in a recent Public Health England report (Britton and Bogdanovica 2014).The body of research performed on the acute and chronic effects of ECs on human health is limited (Breland et al. 2014). There are a number of challenges associated with EC research. The lack of a standardised testing protocol to evaluate different products means that there is no consensus between academic researchers, manufacturers and stake-holders (Orr 2014). Proper toxicological evaluations of ECs by the regulatory bodies are also lacking.The liquid component of EC, known as E-liq...

Hydrogels are an attractive class of biomaterials in tissue engineering due to their inherently compatible properties for cell culture. Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) has shown significant promise in the fields of tissue engineering and drug delivery, as its physical properties can be precisely tuned depending on the specific application. There is a growing appreciation for the interaction between biomaterials and cells of the immune system with the increasing usage of biomaterials for in vivo applications. Here, we addressed the current lack of information regarding the immune-modulatory properties of photocrosslinked GelMA. We investigated the ability of human mononuclear cells to mount inflammatory responses in the context of a GelMA hydrogel platform. Using lipopolysaccharide to stimulate a pro-inflammatory immune response, we found tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression was suppressed in GelMA culture conditions. Our findings have important implications on the future use of GelMA, and potentially similar hydrogels, and highlight the significance of investigating the potential immune-modulatory properties of biomaterials.

Currently there is a lack of consensus on the possible adverse health effects of E-cigarettes (ECs). Important factors including cell model employed and exposure method determine the physiological relevance of EC studies. The present study aimed to evaluate EC cytotoxicity using a physiologically relevant in-vitro multicellular model of human airways. Human bronchial epithelial cells (CALU-3) and pulmonary fibroblasts (MRC-5) were co-cultured at air-liquid-interface for 11-14 days post which they were exposed to whole cigarette smoke (WCS) or EC vapour (ECV) at standard ISO-3308 regime for 7 m using a bespoke aerosol delivery system. ECV effects were further investigated at higher exposure times (1 h-6 h). Results showed that while WCS significantly reduced cell viability after 7 m, ECV decreased cell viability only at exposure times higher than 3 h. Furthermore, ECV caused elevated IL-6 and IL-8 production despite reduced cell viability. ECV exposure also produced a marked increase in oxidative stress. Finally, WCS but not ECV exposure induced caspase 3/7 activation, suggesting a caspase independent death of ECV exposed cells. Overall, our results indicate that prolonged ECV exposure (≥3 h) has a significant impact on pro-inflammatory mediators' production, oxidative stress and cell viability but not caspase 3/7 activity.

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Nanotechnology is emerging as one of the most important and revolutionizing area in research field. Nanoparticles are produced by various methods like physical, chemical, mechanical and biological. Biological methods of reduction of metal ions using plants or microorganisms are often preferred because they are clean, nontoxic, safe, biocompatible and environmentally acceptable. In the present study, Aspergillus fumigatus was used for the intracellular synthesis of gold nanoparticles. Stable nanoparticles were produced when an aqueous solution of chloroauric acid (HAuCl 4) was reduced by A. fumigatus biomass as the reducing agent. Production of nanoparticles was confirmed by the colour change from yellow to pinkish violet after ∼72 h of reaction. The produced nanoparticles were then characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD). SEM images of sample revealed that the nanoparticles were spherical, irregularly shaped with indefinite morphology. Biosynthesized gold nanoparticles were in the range of 85•1-210 nm in size. The presence of gold nanoparticle was confirmed by EDS analysis. Crystalline nature and face-centred cubic structure of synthesized gold nanoparticle was confirmed by XRD pattern.