A review on symptoms, treatments protocols, and proteomic profile in sulfur mustard-exposed victims

Abstract

Sulfur mustard (SM) as an alkylating and vesicating agent was used for 100 years as a chemical weapon. SM as bi-functional mustard can attacks and alkylates lots of biomolecules. Different cellular mechanism and molecular pathways are responsible for damages to body tissues. Such as DNA damages, oxidative stress, Apoptosis, and inflammation. Sulfur mustard penetrated body organs and induces long term eye, skin, lung, gastrointestinal, urogenital damages and can cause carcinogenic and mutagenic consequences. Currently there is no definitive treatment protocol for SM exposed patients. The goal of treatment is relieving the symptoms with fast healing rate and retrieval of damaged tissues to normal function and appearance in short period of time. Evaluation of proteomics profile in SM-exposed victims has been performed in animal model and human patients. These studies revealed that different protein were involved in the patients with SM damages to skin and lungs. Apolipoprotein A1, type I cytokeratins K14, K16 and K17, S100 calcium-binding protein A8, α1 haptoglobin isoforms, Amyloid A1, albumin, haptoglobin, and keratin isoforms, immunoglobulin kappa chain are defined expressed proteins in the damaged tissues.

Keywords: eye; lung; proteomics; skin; sulfur mustard; treatment.