New Study By Pasadena Research Institute Uncovers Hidden Heart Risks from Vaping

As youth vaping surges during the summer months, researchers at Huntington Medical Research Institutes (HMRI) in Pasadena have uncovered a surprising new danger: Nicotine may be quietly damaging the heart, not just the lungs. A newly published study reveals how the substance found in both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes triggers harmful cellular changes in the heart—and points to promising paths for treatment.

The study, led by Dr. Khaja Shameem Mohammed Abdul, a postdoctoral research scholar in HMRI’s Cardiovascular Signaling Laboratory, appears in the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology. It details how nicotine activates a stress pathway in heart cells, causing a spike in a protein called PHLPP1. This surge increases oxidative stress—a toxic process that can impair energy production, damage heart cells, and even lead to cell death.

“While many people associate vaping with lung damage or addiction,” said Dr. Mohammed Abdul, “our research shows that nicotine also stresses the heart at a cellular level. These effects may be especially serious for teens and young adults, whose bodies are still developing.”

The research team, working under the guidance of Principal Investigator Dr. Nicole Purcell, also identified the cellular trigger for the spike in PHLPP1: a signaling axis called ERK–4E-BP1. When nicotine activates this pathway, PHLPP1 levels rise. However, when the pathway was blocked in lab models, heart cells were protected from nicotine’s harmful effects—a discovery that may lead to future therapies to mitigate nicotine-induced heart damage.

“This study gives us a clearer picture of how nicotine harms the heart,” said Dr. Mohammed Abdul. “More importantly, it points to ways we might stop that damage from happening in the first place.”

Meet the Scientist Behind the Discovery

The public is invited to meet Dr. Mohammed Abdul and learn more about this breakthrough at HMRI’s annual Science Day, held on July 23, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Pasadena. This free, family-friendly event features lab tours, hands-on science activities, and the chance to meet over 40 summer student researchers working at the forefront of biomedical science.

To learn more about Science Day or the research, visit hmri.org.

Publication Reference

The full article, titled “Increased PHLPP1 expression through ERK–4E-BP1 signaling axis drives nicotine-induced oxidative stress-related damage of cardiomyocytes,” is available in the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology.

Based in Pasadena, California, Huntington Medical Research Institutes (HMRI) is a nonprofit biomedical research organization with a 70-year legacy of innovation—from contributing to the development of seatbelts to advancing life-saving technologies like the MRI. Today, HMRI scientists focus on unlocking the mysteries of the heart and brain, while mentoring the next generation of scientific leaders.