Iranian Journal of War and Public Health

Background & Purpose:  Sulfur Mustard (SM)  has been widely used as a chemical warfare agent  against Iranian in Iraq-Iran conflict. Many years after exposure, people who have been exposed to SM are still suffering from its late complications including ocular, coetaneous, respiratory and psychological disorders. SDF-1α(Stromal-Derived Factor-1α) or CXCL12 is a member of C-X-C chemokine family that its important role in recruitment of progenitor and stem cells from bone marrow to peripheral blood after injury and inflammation has been approved in many studies. The aim of this study was to determine the serum levels of SDF-1α  in chemical victims who were exposed to mustard gas many years ago in comparison with an unexposed control group. 

Materials & Methods: 174 SM chemical victims and 39 unexposed participants as controls were studied. Clinical evaluation was down by specialists. Pulmonary function was carried out by spirometry and according to the classification of Medical Committee of Iranians foundation of martyr and veterans affairs classifications, chemical victims classified to three groups with mild, moderate and severe pulmonary complications. The serum levels of SDF-1α were measured by a sandwich ELISA technique.

Results: The serum concentration of SDF-1α in SM exposed group was significantly reduced compared to the controls(p=0.046). The serum SDF-1α levels in the exposed participants with severe pulmonary complications was significantly lower than in controls(p=0.054). However this reduction was not significant in exposed group with mild and moderate  lung injuries.

Conclusion: According to the significant reduction of the serum concentration of SDF-1α in the exposed participants comparing to the unexposed control group and its significant reduction in exposed participants with severe lung injury, it could be concluded that down-regulation of this chemokine could be one of the important factors in late clinical complications of sulfur mustard.