Neves, SofiaPacheco, SolangeVaz, FátimaJames, PeterSimões, TâniaPenque, DeborahNeves2025-02-182025-02-182024-04-27Environ Toxicol Pharmacol . 2024 Jun:108:104459. doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2024.104459. Epub 2024 Apr 271382-6689http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/10359Comparative StudyNon-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS) present risk of developing tobacco smoke-associated pathologies. To investigate the airway molecular response to SHS exposure that could be used in health risk assessment, comparative shotgun proteomics was performed on nasal epithelium from a group of healthy restaurant workers, non-smokers (never and former) exposed and not exposed to SHS in the workplace. HIF1α-glycolytic targets (GAPDH, TPI) and proteins related to xenobiotic metabolism, cell proliferation and differentiation leading to cancer (ADH1C, TUBB4B, EEF2) showed significant modulation in non-smokers exposed. In never smokers exposed, enrichment of glutathione metabolism pathway and EEF2-regulating protein synthesis in genotoxic response were increased, while in former smokers exposed, proteins (LYZ, ATP1A1, SERPINB3) associated with tissue damage/regeneration, apoptosis inhibition and inflammation that may lead to asthma, COPD or cancer, were upregulated. The identified proteins are potential response and susceptibility/risk biomarkers for SHS exposure.Highlights: - Nasal airway epithelium is a valid tissue in the assessment of SHS-induced molecular changes; - HIF1α-glycolytic targets induced in cancer showed significant modulation in NSE; - NE may activate GSH metabolism and EEF2 – regulation in response to genotoxic stress; - FE may be at high risk for Serpin B3-associated diseases (lung cancer, asthma, COPD).engCigarette SmokeMass SpectrometryNasal EpitheliumProtein NetworkProteomicsSecond-Hand SmokeGenómica Funcional e Estruturaljournal article10.1016/j.etap.2024.10445938685369