Treatment with Nicotine derived Nitrosamine Ketone NNK Causes Disruption of Blood Brain Barrier BBB and Microglia Activation in Mice

4-Methylnitrosamino-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is a nicotine metabolite produced within the tobacco plant, from combustion, and from metabolic breakdown. Cigarette Smoke (CS) continues to be a leading cause for decline of quality of life as well as deaths globally. While the link to poor health and eventually early death has been accepted for decades, it is increasingly recognized that smoking may contribute to a broad range of disorders. Epidemiologically, CS has been associated with neuroinflammation and several neurological disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and multiple sclerosis. While direct links are not fully understood, studies in a humanized flow-based in vitro b…