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Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Proteomic Profile of EPS-Urine through FASP Digestion and Data-Independent Analysis
Published on: May 8, 2021
Effects of cigarette smoking on the human urinary proteome
Luisa Airoldi1, Cinzia Magagnotti, Angela Rita Iannuzzi
1Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, via Giuseppe La Masa, 19, 20156 Milan, Italy. airoldi@marionegri.it
Abstract:
In this pilot study we used a proteomic approach to compare the urinary protein patterns of healthy smokers and non-smokers. Proteins were resolved by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and identified by mass spectrometry. The relative abundance of three inflammatory proteins (S100A8, inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain 4, CD59) and that of two isoforms of pancreatic alpha amylase was significantly higher in smokers. Zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein was the only protein down-regulated in smokers. Its abundance was significantly correlated with urinary glucocorticoids. Most of the proteins identified may be non-specific biomarkers of tobacco effects, since they are involved in inflammatory responses associated with several diseases. Of greater interest are the changes in abundance of pancreatic alpha amylase and zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein, which after proper validation, might be candidate biomarkers of diseases resulting from exposure to tobacco smoke. The data also show for the first time that smoking can affect the expression profile of urinary proteins.
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