Aspects of the present invention concern the identification of several methods to analyze the genes that are modulated in normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells after
exposure to
cigarette smoke condensates (CSC) or
cigarette smoke (CS). Embodiments described herein include methods to identify a
gene that is modulated in response to
exposure to CSC or CS, methods to identify tobacco products that have a reduced potential to contribute to tobacco-related
disease, methods to make tobacco products that have a reduced potential to contribute to a tobacco-related
disease, methods to identify a subject's predilection to acquire a tobacco related
disease, the use of particular genes as biomarkers for tobacco-related disease, and patterns of
gene expression or genetic signatures that are unique to each particular
tobacco product.