Figure 7.

Nicotine-Induced Mitochondrial Protein Oxidation and Hyperfusion

(A) Nicotine concentrations in the 1% e-liquid and 6TPE aerosols were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography.

(B) 3-day nicotine treatments (110 μg/mL and 220 μg/mL, corresponding to amount of nicotine found in aerosols) increased MitoSOX intensity relative to control cells.

(C) 2-day nicotine treatment followed by 2 days of recovery decreased ROS production, but did not produce a full recovery.

(D–F) Control and 24-h nicotine treatment (110 μg/mL, and 1.1 μg/mL corresponding to a 100-fold lower concentration). Scale bar, 40 μm.

(G) Both concentrations of nicotine increased the MitoTimer red/green fluorescent ratio indicative of mitochondrial protein oxidation.

(H) Both concentrations of nicotine caused a significant increase in mitochondrial hyperfusion (increase of networked mitochondria relative to punctate and swollen morphologies).

Asterisks on top of each bar indicate the statistical significance. (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001). See also Figure S2. Data are represented as mean ± SEM.