title: Lack of FLT3-TKD835 gene mutation in toxicity of sulfur mustard in Iranian veterans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sulfur mustard (SM) was used by the Iraqi army against the Iranian troops in the Iran-Iraq war from 1983-1988. This chemical gas affects different organs including the skin, lungs and the hematopoietic system. Any exposure to SM increases the risk of chromosomal breaking, hyperdiploidy and hypodiploidy. Studies have shown that the risk for acute myeloblastic and lymphoblastic leukemia increases in veterans exposed to SM. FLT3 mutations including ITD and TKD mutations had been observed in some cases of leukemia. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the frequency of FLT3-TKD835 mutations in the veterans exposed to SM agent.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 42 patients who were exposed to SM during the war in Khorasan Razavi province, Mashhad, Iran in 2012. As control group, 30 healthy males were selected from first-degree relatives of the patients. For assessment of TKD835 mutation, DNA was extracted and RFLP-PCR was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of RFLP-PCR data showed no FLT-3 TKD mutation in any of the patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although contact with SM can increase the risk of malignancy especially hematologic neoplasms, results of the study show that another mechanism of leukemogenesis, other than FLT3-TKD mutation, may be the reason for increased risk of leukemia in SM toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Ghaem Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ayatollahi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rafiee
authors.affiliation: Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Ghaem Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad-Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Keramati
authors.affiliation: Medical Toxicology Research Center, Imam Reza Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balali-Mood
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asgharzadeh
authors.affiliation: Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Ghaem Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hadi
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Sadeghian
authors.affiliation: Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Ghaem Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sheikhi
authors.affiliation: Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Ghaem Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Nafiseh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Amini
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Azam Moradi
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zarmehri
keywords: FLT3-TKD835 mutation; Iran; Leukemia; Sulfur mustard