title: Retrospective detection of sulfur mustard exposure by mass spectrometric analysis of adducts to albumin and hemoglobin: an in vivo study.
abstract: The persistence in rats of sulfur mustard adducts to albumin and hemoglobin was studied in vivo after exposure (intravenously; 0.3 mg/kg; approximately 0.1 LD(50)) of rats to sulfur mustard. The albumin adduct (S-HETE)Cys-Pro-Tyr was detectable up to 7 days after the exposure, while the adduct to the N-terminal valine in hemoglobin was still detected after 28 days. The decrease in adduct levels corresponded well with the half-life time of albumin in rats and with the lifetime of the rat erythrocyte. Remarkably, the N-terminal valine adduct to hemoglobin increased during the first three days, which implies that there is still free sulfur mustard present during that time. In contrast, the corresponding albumin adduct levels did not increase during this time period. The free sulfur mustard might have accumulated in the erythrocyte cell membrane.
authors.affiliation: TNO Defence, Security and Safety, PO Box 45, 2280 AA Rijswijk, The Netherlands. daan.noort@tno.nl
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Noort
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fidder
authors.forename: C E A M
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Degenhardt-Langelaan
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Hulst
mesh_terms: D000478:Alkylation; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011402:Pronase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006454:Hemoglobins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D011402:Pronase; D009151:Mustard Gas