Unraveling the Toxicological Effects of Hydroxyacetone - A Reaction Product in Electronic Cigarette Aerosols.

ABSTRACT: Hydroxyacetone has been detected at high concentrations (up to ~12 mg/mL) in electronic cigarette (EC) aerosols, including those derived from products associated with adverse health effects. Given the limited understanding of its inhalation toxicology, we investigated hydroxyacetone's impact on human airway epithelial cells. Acute exposures at the air-liquid interface (ALI) using 3D EpiAirway tissues-a surrogate for human tracheobronchial epithelium-were analyzed via proteomics. Differential expression analysis identified numerous affected proteins, with enrichment pointing to alterations in mitochondrial function and actin cytoskeletal disruption as major targets. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) highlighted "Mitochondrial Dysfunction" and "NRF2-Mediated Oxidative Stress" among top toxico

SUBMITTER: Wong M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12424699 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature