Microarray gene expression analysis of the human airway in patients exposed to sulfur mustard.

There is much data about the acute effects of sulfur mustard gas on humans, animals and cells. But less is known regarding the molecular basics of chronic complications in humans. Basically, mustard gas, as an alkylating agent, causes several chronic problems in the eyes, skin and more importantly in the pulmonary system which is the main cause of death. Although recent proteomic research has been carried out on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and serum, but high-throughput transcriptomics have not yet been applied to chronic airway remodeling. This is the first cDNA-microarray report on the chronic human mustard lung disease, 25 years after exposure during the Iran-Iraq war. Microarray transcriptional profiling indicated that a total of 122 genes were significantly dysregulated in tissues located in the airway of patients. These genes are associated with the extracellular matrix components, apoptosis, stress response, inflammation and mucus secretion.