Vanillin flavoring in e-cigarettes disrupt human embryonic stem cell development, lab study finds
Medical Xpress
Vanillin in e-cigarettes harms human embryonic stem cells, reducing pluripotency and promoting endoderm differentiation via TRPV4.Summary
Researchers exposed human embryonic stem cells to vanillin at nanomolar and micromolar concentrations and observed increased cell death and loss of pluripotency, with micromolar levels causing cell death and nanomolar levels reducing the cells' ability to differentiate into all lineages, shifting them toward endoderm fate. The effects were blocked by a TRPV4 antagonist, indicating that vanillin acts through calcium influx via this channel. The authors caution that these laboratory findings suggest pregnant women who vape may risk embryonic damage, urging regulatory reconsideration of e‑cigarette ingredients and exposure limits.
(Source：Medical Xpress)
