Proteomic profiling of hyperplasia/atypia and adenoma-induced by NNK in mouse lung identified multiple proteins as potential biomarkers for early detection

•Multiple proteins were modulated during early stages of lung tumorigenesis.•Cbr2, Anx A, Selenbp1, Hmgb1, Hsp90b1 were modified during hyperplasia/atypia/adenoma.•These proteins are potential biomarkers for early stages of lung tumorigenesis.

We used a proteomics approach (iTRAQ) to identify differentially expressed lung proteins during early stages of the tobacco carcinogen, NNK-induced lung tumorigenesis (hyperplasia/atypia, 4–10 weeks and adenoma, 25 week) prior to the detection of adenocarcinoma in A/J mice. We identified 790 proteins at week 4 and 710 proteins at weeks 10 and 25 with >95% confidence and a Local False Discovery Rate estimation less than 5%. We have demonstrated that NNK altered multiple protein (e.g., Carbonyl Reductase, Annexin A5/6, Selenbp1, Hmgb1 and Hsp90b1) expressions in early lesions which can be used as potential biomarkers for early detection of lung cancer.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide