Iranian Journal of War and Public Health

Aims: Mustard gas is an Alkalizing agent and inflammatory stimuli that were used as chemical weapon. Lung problems in people exposed to mustard gas is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in long-term. DNA damage is considered as one of the most important clinical lesions. Typically, apoptosis is occurred during development and aging and as a hemostatic mechanism for maintaining cell populations in tissues and also as a defence mechanism in immune system body reactions or when cells are suffered by toxic agents or illness. The aim of this study was to compare the rate of apoptosis in blood mononuclear cells of chemical victims 25 years after exposure to mustard gas and non-exposured people.

Materials & Methods: This case control study was performed at 2014 on 10 veterans as case group selected by random sampling and 11 patients as control group selected by random sampling. 3mL of peripheral blood collected from both groups and gradient Faykl was used to isolation of mononuclear peripheral blood cells. After cells preparing, ELISA kit cell death was used to measure apoptosis. Data were analysed by student-T test.

Findings: The mean incidence of apoptosis in control group was 0.533±0.168 and in case group was 0.345±0.116, which was not different significantly (p=0.39).

Conclusion: Mustard gas in chronic phase (25 years after exposure) has no effect on apoptosis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells.