Document text
Principal Investigator: Renate Lux
Organization: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
Fiscal Year: 2024
Award: $236,250
Funding agency: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
PROJECT SUMMARY
Vaping of aerosolized tobacco and cannabis products using electronic nicotine delivery devices (ENDS) is
increasingly popular among adolescents and young adults. The associated emerging health crisis has significant
systemic and oral health implications as nicotine (N) consumption is highly correlated with caries, the most
prevalent oral disease in adolescents (57%) and young adults (82%), with cannabis use seemingly having a
similar effect. Studies have shown that pure N enhances the growth and biofilm formation of the major cariogenic
species Streptococcus mutans (Sm) and Candida albicans (Ca), which entertain a synergistic interkingdom
relationship that is considered an important etiological factor in caries development. Limited recent studies on
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the cannabis product favored by younger age groups, indicated that THC-
containing cannabis smoke condensates stimulate the growth and biofilm formation of Ca.
Despite emerging evidence supporting the pathogenicity-enhancing consequences of tobacco and cannabis
product use, most research has used pure N instead of the more relevant vape aerosol (VA) containing N (N-
VA) produced by ENDS. In addition, studies examining the effects of THC or VA containing THC (THC-VA) on
Sm and Ca are very limited. Our published research and preliminary data show that the responses of Ca and
Sm to pure N are distinct from responses to N-VA at the same N content (as determined by high-performance
liquid chromatography). Therefore, we hypothesize that the enhancing effects of VAs containing N and THC
result in different synergistic Sm–Ca cariogenic activities than the same concentrations of pure N and THC.
In Aim 1, we will investigate the impact of N-VA and THC-VA on the Sm–Ca relationship compared with pure
N, pure THC, and control VA (lacking N or THC) using well-characterized lab strains to evaluate co-adhesion,
biofilm formation, extracellular polymeric substance production, acid production, and transcriptional responses.
In Aim 2, we will validate selected findings from Aim 1 in clinically relevant Sm and Ca strains isolated from
adolescent and young adult N and THC vapers as well as non-users with dental caries. We will characterize
biofilm formation, acid production, and the highly differentially expressed genes identified in Aim 1.
We expect to find that N-VA and THC-VA have distinct effects on the Sm–Ca relationship compared to their
respective pure compounds or control VA. Evaluation of transcriptional responses in conjunction with cariogenic
behaviors may provide physiological explanations for some of these differences. The results obtained from
clinical strains isolated from different vaping environments will (1) validate findings obtained with Sm and Ca lab
strains and (2) elucidate whether strains isolated from individuals who vape exhibit distinct responses to N-VA
and THC-VA compared to strains isolated from non-users. The knowledge generated by this study will elucidate
the effect of ENDS use on cariogenic activities and Sm–Ca interactions using clinically relevant parameters,
contributing to meaningful public health communications regarding the impact of ENDS use on dental health.
Terms: <21+ years old><65 and older><65 or older><65 years of age and older><65 years of age or more><65 years of age or older><65+ years><65+ years old><9-ene-Tetrahydrocannabinol><> 65 years><Acids><Address><Adolescent><Adolescent Youth><Adolescent and Young Adult><Adult><Adult Human><Aerosols><Affect><Aged 65 and Over><Behavior><Binding><Biological><C albicans><C. albicans><C.albicans><COVID crisis><COVID epidemic><COVID pandemic><COVID-19 crisis><COVID-19 epidemic><COVID-19 era><COVID-19 global health crisis><COVID-19 global pandemic><COVID-19 health crisis><COVID-19 pandemic><COVID-19 period><COVID-19 public health crisis><COVID-19 years><Candida albicans><Cannabinoids><Cannabis><Cannabis Smoking><Caries><Causality><Cell Survival><Cell Viability><Cellular Morphology><Centers for Disease Control><Centers for Disease Control and Prevention><Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)><Chemicals><Clinical><Clinical Research><Clinical Study><Consumption><D9-tetrahydrocannabinol><Data><Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol><Dental Decay><Dental caries><Development><Electronic Nicotine Delivery Product><Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems><Electronic cigarette><Environment><Etiology><Evaluation><Exhibits><Exposure to><Gene Transcription><Generalized Growth><Genes><Genetic Transcription><Growth><HPLC><Health><High Performance Liquid Chromatography><High Pressure Liquid Chromatography><High Prevalence><High Speed Liquid Chromatography><Incidence><Investigation><Junior High School Student><Junior High Student><Knowledge><Laboratories><Marijuana Smoking><Mental Health><Mental Hygiene><Microbial Biofilms><Middle School Student><Molecular Interaction><Mouth Diseases><Nicotine><Oral Cavity Disease><Oral Cavity Disorder><Oral Disease><Oral Disorder><Oral health><Pathogenesis><Pathogenicity><Phenotype><Physical condensation><Physiologic><Physiological><Play><Polymers><Population><Predisposition><Prevalence><Production><Psychological Health><Public Health><Publishing><RNA Expression><Reporting><Research><Risk><Risk Factors><Role><S mutans><S. mutans><SARS-CoV-2 epidemic><SARS-CoV-2 global health crisis><SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic><SARS-CoV-2 pandemic><SARS-coronavirus-2 epidemic><SARS-coronavirus-2 pandemic><Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoV 2 epidemic><Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoV 2 pandemic><Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 epidemic><Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic><Streptococcus mutans><Study Subject><Survey Instrument><Surveys><Susceptibility><THC co-use><THC use><Testing><Tetrahydrocannabinol><Tetrahydrocannabinol co-use><Tetrahydrocannabinol use><Tissue Growth><Tobacco><Tobacco Consumption><Tobacco smoking><Tobacco smoking behavior><Tobacco use><Transcription><United States Centers for Disease Control><United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention><Validation><Virulence><Youth><Youth 10-21><above age 65><adult youth><adulthood><aerosolized><after age 65><age 65 and greater><age 65 and older><age 65 or older><age > 65><age group><age of 65 years onward><aged 65 and greater><aged 65+><aged ≥65><biofilm><biologic><cannabis smoke><cannabis use><cannabis vaping><cariogenic bacteria><causation><cell morphology><cigarette smoke><clinical effect><clinical investigation><clinical relevance><clinically relevant><condensation><coronavirus disease 2019 crisis><coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic><coronavirus disease 2019 global health crisis><coronavirus disease 2019 global pandemic><coronavirus disease 2019 health crisis><coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic><coronavirus disease 2019 public health crisis><coronavirus disease crisis><coronavirus disease epidemic><coronavirus disease pandemic><coronavirus disease-19 global pandemic><coronavirus disease-19 pandemic><delta(1)-THC><delta(1)-Tetrahydrocannabinol><delta(9)-THC><delta(9)-Tetrahydrocannabinol><dental health><design><designing><developmental><differential expression><differentially expressed><disease causation><e-cig><e-cig use><e-cig user><e-cigarette><e-cigarette use><e-cigarette user><early childhood><ecig><ecig use><ecig user><ecigarette><ecigarette use><ecigarette user><electronic cigarette use><electronic cigarette user><electronic nicotine delivery device><electronic nicotine distribution system><extracellular><health communication><high school><human old age (65+)><isolated individuals><isolated people><juvenile><juvenile human><lonely individuals><lonely people><marijuana smoke><marijuana use><marijuana vaping><microorganism><mouth disorder><old age><ontogeny><oral pathogen><over 65 years><pathogenicity gene><polymer><polymeric><recruit><response><severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 global health crisis><severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 global pandemic><social role><synergism><tobacco product use><tooth decay><transcriptional differences><validations><vaper><vaping><virulence gene><virulent gene><young adult><young adulthood><Δ(1)-THC><Δ(1)-tetrahydrocannabinol><Δ(9)-THC><Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol><Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol><Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol><≥65 years>