title: Sulfur mustard-induced neutropenia: treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.
abstract: Although best known as a blistering agent, sulfur mustard (HD) can also induce neutropenia in exposed individuals, increasing their susceptibility to infection. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and pegylated G-CSF (peg-G-CSF) have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as hematopoietic growth factors to treat chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. The goal of this study was to determine the effectiveness of G-CSF and peg-G-CSF in ameliorating HD-induced neutropenia. African green monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) were challenged with HD and, at 1, 3, 5, or 7 days after exposure, G-CSF therapy (10 microg/kg per day for 21 days) was initiated. Peg-G-CSF (300 microg/kg, single treatment) was similarly tested, with treatment given at 3 days after exposure. Untreated HD-exposed animals recovered from neutropenia 28 days after exposure, whereas G-CSF- or peg-G-CSF-treated animals recovered 8 to 19 days after exposure (p < 0.05). These results indicate that G-CSF or peg-G-CSF may provide Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments that will reduce the duration of HD-induced neutropenia.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Division, US Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-5400, USA.
authors.forename: Dana R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Wesley W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: Robyn B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Dalal
authors.forename: Charles G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Hurst
authors.forename: Beverly I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Maliner
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Newmark
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000882:Haplorhini; D008297:Male; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D009151:Mustard Gas