E-cigarette Exposure during Pregnancy Changes Autophagy Signaling, Leads to Brain Defects in Rats

Article title: Fetal e-cigarette exposure programs a neonatal brain hypoxic-ischemic sensitive phenotype via altering DNA methylation patterns and autophagy signaling pathway

Authors: Andrew Walayat, Yong Li, Yanyan Zhang, Yingjie Fu, Bailin Liu, Xuesi M. Shao, Lubo Zhang, Daliao Xiao

From the authors: “These novel findings not only improve our understanding of the epigenetic molecular mechanisms underlying maternal e-cig exposure-induce fetal programming of brain developmental defects but also could provide novel therapeutic strategies to prevent or rescue the development of neonatal [hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy] and e-cig-related brain developmental disorder.”

This study is highlighted as one of November’s “best of the best” as part of the American Physiological Society’s APSselect program.