A 90-Day Subchronic Exposure to Heated Tobacco Product Aerosol Caused Differences in Intestinal Inflammation and Microbiome Dysregulation in Rats.

This article investigates the effects of heated tobacco product (HTP) aerosol compared to combustible cigarette smoke (CS) on intestinal health in Sprague–Dawley rats over a 13-week exposure period. Both HTP and CS induced intestinal inflammation and oxidative stress, evidenced by increased proinflammatory cytokines and altered oxidative defense markers, though through different gut microbiota and metabolic pathways. Specifically, HTP exposure mainly affected amino acid and fatty acyl metabolism, including short-chain fatty acids and tryptophan, while CS primarily disrupted bile acid metabolism, particularly indole derivatives. Changes in gut microbial genera such as Lactobacillus, Turicibacter, and Prevotella were observed, differing by sex and exposure type, highlighting distinct microbial and metabolic responses linked to intestinal damage from HTP and CS inhalation.