NNK

Nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone (NNK) is a tobacco-specific nitrosamine that's derived from nicotine. It's a potent human genotoxic lung carcinogen.

NNK's formula is C10H13N3O2. It's present in cigarette smoke and to a lesser degree in smokeless tobacco products. Trace amounts of NNK have also been detected in e-cigarettes and snus.

NNK plays an important role in carcinogenesis. It can:

• Produce adenocarcinoma in animals
• Produce DNA adducts in the lungs of humans with lung cancer
• Promote carcinogenesis and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) progression
• Increase brain ethanol metabolism
• Inhibit the expression of CYP450s that regulate xenobiotic metabolism

NNK's molecular mechanisms of lung tumorigenesis are associated with genotoxic and epigenotoxic events.