Alteration in serum levels of immunoglobulins in seriously eye-injured long-term following sulfur-mustard exposure.

INTRODUCTION: Sulfur mustard (SM) is a potent toxic agent that cause local and systemic changes in the human body such as dysregulation of the immunological system. This gas affects different organs such as lungs, skin, eyes and the gastrointestinal tract. METHODS: 128 veterans with SM-induced eye injuries were examined and compared to 31 gender- and age-matched healthy controls. Serum levels of IgM, IgE, IgA, IgG, and IgG subclasses were measured using ELISA method. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in IgM level between two groups with abnormal and normal ocular conditions except for those having bulbar conjunctiva-limbal ischemia and bulbar conjunctiva-hyperemia abnormalities. There were not significant difference in IgA, IgE, and IgG levels between two groups with and without ocular problem also between study groups. IgG1 level in some ocular abnormalities were significantly lower than the healthy control groups. IgG2 level in SM-exposed participants with stromal abnormality was higher in the SM-exposed groups without this problem. IgG2 levels in the exposed group with some ocular problems were significantly increased compared with control. IgG3 level in all patients did not reveal any significant changes compared with the controls except the fundus abnormality. IgG4 level was not significantly different between two groups with normal and abnormal ocular conditions. Nonetheless, IgG4 level in the exposed participants with some ocular abnormalities significantly increased compared with the controls. CONCLUSION: The results showed SM exposure could alter immunoglobulins level compared with healthy controls and the changes of IgG2 and IgG1 levels were associated with some ocular problems.

Tear and serum interleukin-8 and serum CX3CL1, CCL2 and CCL5 in sulfur mustard eye-exposed patients.

BACKGROUND: The serum and tear levels of four inflammatory chemokines were evaluated in sulfur mustard (SM)-exposed with serious ocular problems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 128 SM-exposed patients and 31 healthy control participants participated. Tear and serum levels of chemokines were assessed by ELISA method. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the serum level of IL-8/CXCL8, CX3CL1/fractalkine, CCL2/MCP-1, and CCL5/RANTES between all SM-exposed subjects and control groups. The tear level of IL-8 in the SM-exposed group was lower than the control group, but the difference was not significant. In the SM-exposed group with the abnormalities in tear breakup time (TBUT) test, fundus and pannus formation were significantly higher than SM-exposed patients without these problems. CX3CL1 levels have significantly increased in SM-exposed group with blepharitis, pterygium, and conjunctival pigmentation as compared with the control group. Besides, significantly higher levels of CX3CL1 were observed in SM-exposed group with or without bulbar conjunctival hyperemia and abnormal vessels a well as with fundus abnormality compared to the control group. Only, SM-exposed group with subconjunctival fibrosis had significantly lower levels of CCL5 than SM-exposed group without this problem. CONCLUSION: The higher level of CX3CL1 and consistent levels of IL-8/CXCL8, MCP-1/CCL2, and RANTES/CCL5 in SM-exposed individuals may indicate an anti-inflammatory response against the destructive effects of SM gas. High tear level of IL-8/CXCL8 reflects the severity of ocular surface abnormalities, yet significantly low tear level found in mild SM-exposed subgroup compared with the control group. The lower levels of CX3CL1 and RANTES/CCL5 may represent the different pathophysiology which requires further studies.

Serum and sputum levels of IL-17, IL-21, TNFα and mRNA expression of IL-17 in sulfur mustard lung tissue with long term pulmonary complications (28 years after sulfur mustard exposure).

BACKGROUND: Iranian veterans who had exposed to Sulfur Mustard (SM) suffer from long term complications such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and bronchiolitis obliterate (BO). Th17 cells product IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, and IL-22. They have important roles in chronic inflammatory diseases. Also, TNFα has a major part in pathobiological processes of COPD. In this study, we evaluate the serum and sputum levels of IL-17, IL-21, TNF-α, and mRNA expression of IL-17 in the lung tissue of the patients 28 years after SM exposure. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The cytokine levels of IL-17, IL-21 and TNFα were measured by ELISA method in serum and sputum of 455 SM-exposed and 123 unexposed people participated in Sardasht-Iran Cohort Study (SICS) of chemical victims. The mRNA expression of IL-17 was evaluated with qRT-PCR in lung biopsies (SM-exposed =52, control =33). Analyses of all data were accomplished with the SPSS software with P value ≤05. RESULT: The results show the sputum level of IL-17 in the exposed group decreased significantly compared to control group (P = 0.007) and Veterans and Martyrs Affair Foundation (VMAF) assessment was significantly lower in abnormal/exposed than normal/exposed group (P = 0.042). There were no significant differences between control and exposed groups in serum level of IL-17; also serum and sputum levels of IL-21, TNF-α, and IL-17 mRNA expression. CONCLUSION: Conclusively, The IL-17 level decreased in the exposed group. This decline could cause by mutation on transcription factors like Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 gene (STAT3) or CCL20 as a chemokine.