SASH1, a new potential link between smoking and atherosclerosis

•SASH1 was ubiquitously expressed in the vascular wall and increased in the carotids from smokers.•SASH1 silencing in human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) resulted in decreased CYP1A1 expression.•SASH1 silencing in HAECs increased expression of cyclins CCND1 and CCND3, both involved in the G1/S transition.•Transcriptomic analyses showed that SASH1 silencing in HAECs affected cell cycle genes possibly by inhibiting TP53 transcriptional activity.•SASH1 silencing increased proliferation, migration and angiogenesis in HAECs. SASH1 may be a link between smoking and atherosclerosis.