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Sulfur mustard (SM) is a potent alkylating vesicant warfare chemical agent which causes severe damages to the interface organs, skin, lungs and eyes. The most common chronic skin lesions are mustard scars, xerosis, eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, cherry angioma and hyperpigmentation. This study is part of Sardasht-Iran Cohort Study (SICS) which was performed to compare the serum levels of inflammatory cytokines in SM-exposed individuals (n = 372) with long-term relevant skin findings versus unexposed controls (n = 128). Serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-1Ra, IL-6, and TNF (tumor necrosis factor) were titrated using ELISA method, 79.9% (n = 290) of the exposed group and 60.5% (n = 98) of the control group showed skin findings. In the exposed group, 52.1% (n = 189) had only skin findings (OSFE) and in the control group, 32% (n = 41) had no problem (NC, normal). Median serum levels of cytokines IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-1Ra, IL-6 and TNF-α in the OSFE group were: 1.077, 1.745, 25.640, 0.602 and 12.768 pg/ml, respectively. These values in normal controls were 1.889, 1.896, 32.190, 1.022 and 23.786 pg/ml, respectively which are higher than the corresponding values in the OSFE group, the differences were statistically significant only for IL-1α and TNF-α. This may be due to a damage incurred upon precursors of cytokine producing cells or failure of their functions, increase in suppressive mediators or other mechanisms which are not well known. More studies are needed in molecular dimensions of the immune and cytokine responses in the SM-exposed patients.

Exposure to SM leads to short and long term adverse effects on various organs including the skin. Cherry angioma is one of the late skin disorders in SM exposed individuals. The pathogenesis of abnormal angiogenesis in cherry angioma is not well known but the role of inflammatory mediators and certain hormones, including prolactin, in the regulation of angiogenesis in other diseases has been reported. Alterations in serum levels of prolactin and chemokines in SM-exposed victims and the impact on angiogenesis are indications of the role in SM-induced cherry angioma. As part of the SICS, this study seeks to evaluate the possible association of prolactin and chemokines in the emergence of SM-induced cherry angioma. The serum concentrations of prolactin, IL-8/CXCL8, RANTES/CCL5, MCP-1/CCL2, and fractalkine/CX3CL1 were titrated using sandwich ELISA technique. There was a significant difference in the level of prolactin between the exposed subgroups (with cherry angioma n=72; mean: 10.13) and without cherry angioma (n=268; mean: 13.13, p

Sulfur mustard (SM) is highly toxic for various organs. The eyes, skin, respiratory tract, as well hematopoietic and immune systems are the main organs affected by SM. Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a potent cytokine that plays an important role in the hematopoietic and immune system. The aim of this study was to determine the serum levels of GM-CSF and its relation to blood cell count and other inflammatory cytokines 20 years after SM exposure. The association of GM-CSF with the clinical severity of pulmonary, ophthalmic and dermatologic complications has also been studied. In this historical cohort study named as Sardasht-Iran Cohort Study (SICS), 369 SM exposed male participants and 125 unexposed volunteers were studied. The serum concentrations of cytokines were measured by ELISA technique. The severity of clinical complications was graded according to the criteria verified by the Medical Committee of the Foundation of Martyr and Veterans Affairs. The serum levels of GM-CSF in the SM exposed group did not display any significant differences with the control group. Median of GM-CSF was 7.33 and 9.39 pg/ml in the SM exposed group and the controls respectively. There was a positive correlation between the serum levels of GM-CSF and the percent of eosinophils only in the exposed group. Moreover, positive correlations were found between circulating levels of GM-CSF with IL-1α, IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6. This correlation was not observed between GM-CSF and IL-8 in both study groups. The serum levels of GM-CSF did not show any significant association with clinical complications.