Chemokines, MMP-9 and PMN elastase in spontaneous sputum of sulfur mustard exposed civilians: Sardasht-Iran Cohort Study.
Chemokines play an important role in acute and chronic pulmonary diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of chemokines, MMP-9, and PMN elastase in spontaneous sputum and serum of patients 20 years after SM exposure. In context of Sardasht-Iran Cohort Study (SICS) 40 male volunteers with a history of SM exposure in June 1987 and complain of excessive sputum were recruited. The volunteers were clinically examined and their history was collected by internists. Sputum and serum levels of IL-8, fractalkine, MCP-1, RANTES, MMP-9, and PMN elastase were measured using ELISA kits (R&D System). Spirometries were performed on all the participants. Sputum level of fractalkine was significantly lower in the hospitalized group (N=16, Median=1.05; IQR=0.41-2.62) than non-hospitalized group (N=18, 4.031; IQR=0.947-8.203) (p=0.042). However, serum levels of fractalkine were higher in the hospitalized group (Mean±SD=2.08±5.09) than in the non-hospitalized (Mean±SD=0.53±0.87) group (T-test, p=0.03). Serum levels of PMN-elastase were also higher in the hospitalized group (Mean±SD; 64,794.43±26,820.08) than in the non-hospitalized group (Mean±SD=44,049.33±17,675.85) (p=0.017). There was no relationship between the cytokines and the studied factors in sputum and the GOLD classification, but the serum levels of fractalkine and MMP-9 were significantly higher in the more severe (grades 3-4) group. There was no significant correlation between sputum and serum levels of measured inflammatory mediators and pulmonary complications in the patients who were exposed to SM 20 years earlier. Pathophysiologic process involved in SM induced pulmonary problems might be different from those in other chronic pulmonary diseases such as COPD and asthma.
Immunoregulation Research Center, Shahed University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran; Department of Internal Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Shahryar
S
Pourfarzam
Roya
R
Yaraee
Zuhair Mohammad
ZM
Hassan
Mohammad Ebrahim
ME
Yarmohammadi
Soghrat
S
Faghihzadeh
Mohammad-Reza
MR
Soroush
Faramarz
F
Fallahi
Sussan K
SK
Ardestani
Massoumeh
M
Ebtekar
Sakine
S
Moaiedmohseni
Mohammad-Mehdi
MM
Naghizadeh
Hassan
H
Ghasemi
Jalaleddin
J
Shams
Tooba
T
Ghazanfari
D000328:Adult; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000633:toxicity*; D013183:Sputum / Q000737:chemistry*; D055815:Young Adult
D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase; C579270:MMP9 protein, human; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D009151:Mustard Gas
Chemokines; MMP-9; PMN elastase; Sardasht-Iran; Sputum; Sulfur mustard