The mechanisms of cardiotoxicity of the three widespread model polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) retene, pyrene and phenanthrene were explored in rainbow trout (Oncorhyncus mykiss) early life stages. Newly hatched larvae were exposed to sublethal doses of each individual PAH causing no detectable morphometric alterations. Changes in the cardiac proteome were assessed after 7 or 14 days of exposure to each PAH.