title: Characterization of Lung Fibroblasts More than Two Decades after Mustard Gas Exposure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In patients with short-term exposure to the sulfur mustard gas, the delayed cellular effects on lungs have not been well understood yet. The lung pathology shows a dominant feature consistent with obliterative bronchiolitis, in which fibroblasts play a central role. This study aims to characterize alterations to lung fibroblasts, at the cellular level, in patients with delayed respiratory complications after short-term exposure to the sulfur mustard gas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fibroblasts were isolated from the transbronchial biopsies of patients with documented history of exposure to single high-dose sulfur mustard during 1985-7 and compared with the fibroblasts of control subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with controls, patients' fibroblasts were thinner and shorter, and showed a higher population doubling level, migration capacity and number of filopodia. Sulfur mustard decreased the in vitro viability of fibroblasts and increased their sensitivity to induction of apoptosis, but did not change the rate of spontaneous apoptosis. In addition, higher expression of alpha smooth muscle actin showed that the lung's microenvironment in these patients is permissive for myofibroblastic differentiation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that in patients under the study, the delayed pulmonary complications of sulfur mustard should be considered as a unique pathology, which might need a specific management by manipulation of cellular components.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Centre, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Gila
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pirzad Jahromi
authors.affiliation: Chemical Injury Research Centre, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.|Department of Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghanei
authors.affiliation: Tissue Bank & Preparation Research Centre, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Kazem
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Hosseini
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shamsaei
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Department, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mazaher
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gholipourmalekabadi
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ameneh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koochaki
authors.affiliation: Eposcience Millennium Institute, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Nushin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karkuki Osguei
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Research Centre, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.|Department of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.|Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samadikuchaksaraei
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000633:toxicity*; D011930:Reaction Time
chemical_list: D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D009151:Mustard Gas