Mingxue Sun1, Yuyan Yang2, Wenqi Meng1, Qingqiang Xu1, Fengwu Lin3, Yongchun Chen1, Jie Zhao1, Kai Xiao4. 1. Lab of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China. 2. Lab of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China; You'an Men Community Health Service Center, Beijing 100069, China. 3. China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130033, China. 4. Lab of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China. Electronic address: kaixiaocn@163.com.
Abstract
CONTEXT: Sulfur mustard (SM), a bifunctional alkylating agent, can react with a variety of biochemical molecules (DNA, RNA, proteins and other cell components) to cause a series of serious health issues or even death. Although a plethora of research has been done, the pathogenesis of SM poisoning has yet to be fully understood due to its high complexity. As a consequence, a specific antidote has not yet been developed and the treatment of SM poisoning remains a medical challenge. In recent years, various biological products and cell transplantation in the treatment of SM poisoning offered a significant clinical treatment progress. By highlighting these and other research studies, we hereby summarize the progress in this field in an effort to provide useful information on the clinical treatment of SM poisoning. OBJECTIVE: This review summarizes the major advances of SM poisoning therapy by means of biological products (peptide and protein drugs, polysaccharides drugs, nucleic acid drugs, etc.), and cell transplantation (e.g., bone marrow, limbal stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells), as well as other relevant biotherapeutic approaches. METHOD: We searched the database PubMed for published domestic and international articles using web based resources for information on histological, immunochemical, ultrastructural, and treatment features of SM-induced manifestations in both animal models and human tissues. To this end, we applied keywords containing mustard gas, chemical warfare, SM, eye, lung and skin. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Our review provides a comprehensive understanding of the advances of available biotherapies in SM poisoning, and its potential for the treatment of SM-induced injuries. Potentially, our review will provide new insights for future research studies in this field.
CONTEXT: Sulfur mustard (SM), a bifunctional alkylating agent, can react with a variety of biochemical molecules (DNA, RNA, proteins and other cell components) to cause a series of serious health issues or even death. Although a plethora of research has been done, the pathogenesis of SMpoisoning has yet to be fully understood due to its high complexity. As a consequence, a specific antidote has not yet been developed and the treatment of SMpoisoning remains a medical challenge. In recent years, various biological products and cell transplantation in the treatment of SMpoisoning offered a significant clinical treatment progress. By highlighting these and other research studies, we hereby summarize the progress in this field in an effort to provide useful information on the clinical treatment of SMpoisoning. OBJECTIVE: This review summarizes the major advances of SMpoisoning therapy by means of biological products (peptide and protein drugs, polysaccharides drugs, nucleic acid drugs, etc.), and cell transplantation (e.g., bone marrow, limbal stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells), as well as other relevant biotherapeutic approaches. METHOD: We searched the database PubMed for published domestic and international articles using web based resources for information on histological, immunochemical, ultrastructural, and treatment features of SM-induced manifestations in both animal models and human tissues. To this end, we applied keywords containing mustard gas, chemical warfare, SM, eye, lung and skin. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Our review provides a comprehensive understanding of the advances of available biotherapies in SMpoisoning, and its potential for the treatment of SM-induced injuries. Potentially, our review will provide new insights for future research studies in this field.