Cigarette smoke induces p-benzoquinone-albumin adduct in blood serum: Implications on structure and ligand binding properties

► Cigarette smoke produces p-benzoquinone-protein adducts in lungs and serum of guinea pigs. ► Human smokers' serum contains albumin-p-benzoquinone covalent adduct. ► p-Benzoquinone forms adducts with ɛ-amino groups of lysine residues of serum albumin in vitro. ► Upon complexation with p-benzoquinone the structure and conformation of albumin are altered. ► Alteration of the structure of albumin results in impairment of ligand binding properties.