Sulphur mustard (SM) is a bifunctional alkylating agent which can react with a wide variety of molecules of biological interest. The interaction of SM with animal skin elicits a varied histopathological response in cellular components on a temporal scale. The extracellular matrix (ECM) undergoes tremendous structural changes as a result of SM exposure. Sulphur mustard induces oedema, infiltration of polymorphonuclear cells and destruction of cells. Injury appeared to be most severe on the third day after exposure, when the thickness of the skin registered the maximum change from the control. The initiation of recovery could be noticed on the 6th day, when the intercellular gap in the ECM began to reduce significantly, indicating reformation of damaged skin. Simultaneous reformation was also noticed in the epidermis and other cellular components. However, recovery was far from complete and continued beyond the 6th day.
Sulphur mustard (SM) is a bifunctional alkylating agent which can react with a wide variety of molecules of biological interest. The interaction of SM with animal skin elicits a varied histopathological response in cellular components on a temporal scale. The extracellular matrix (ECM) undergoes tremendous structural changes as a result of SM exposure. Sulphur mustard induces oedema, infiltration of polymorphonuclear cells and destruction of cells. Injury appeared to be most severe on the third day after exposure, when the thickness of the skin registered the maximum change from the control. The initiation of recovery could be noticed on the 6th day, when the intercellular gap in the ECM began to reduce significantly, indicating reformation of damaged skin. Simultaneous reformation was also noticed in the epidermis and other cellular components. However, recovery was far from complete and continued beyond the 6th day. INTRODUCTIONSulphur mustard (SM. 1.1 '-thiobis(2-chloroethane)) is an alkylating agent that forms blisters in human skin. The blisters are painful and slow to heal.'-3 It is reported that the pathology of SM-exposed human skin bears resemblance to that of animal skin to a certain extent. As a result, several investigations have been attempted to experimentally define the pathogenesis of the cutaneous SM lesion using animal models. Renshaw4 reported that SM causes more severe skin injury in fur-covered animals which have a thin epidermis and densely packed hair follicles. The skin injury in animal models has been defined in terms of oedenia, infiltration of polymorphonuclear cells, vascular alteration and ultrastructural changes in cells and their organelles.'-' Although the degenerative changes are noticed early in cells, it is expected that the extracellular matrix (ECM), which constitutes the major component of the skin. will also be affected. However, no attempt appears to have been made to study the effect of SM on the ECM of rabbit skin. Studies on biologically active analogues of ECM have revealed that ECM plays an itnportant role in remodelling damaged skin tissue. The ECM not only plays a mechanical role in supporting and maintaining tissue structure but also modulates many of the cell functions. such as development, migration and proliferation.x It is recognized that the re-epithelization of wounded skin takes place only when there is an underlying bed of ECM in the form of the dermal support, and during wound healing and development when the cells and matrix interact closely and progressively . x.9The present study was undertaken to examine the effect of SM on the collagenous ECM in rabbit skin in order to follow the course of injury as well as the Author to whom corre\pondcnce should he addresscd onset of recovery. The morphological changes were studied by light and scanning electron microscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS New Zealandalbino male rabbits weighing 1200 k 100 g were kept individually in aluminium cages in the animal house of the laboratory. The animals had free access to food and ...
SYNOPSISThe effect of sulfur mustard (SM), a well-known chemical warfare agent on the microhardness of two poly(ethy1ene terephthalate) (PET) films was investigated at different loads. SM induces hardness in PET films, perhaps due to an antiplasticizing effect. Heat treatment of the films enhanced their microhardness. The heat-set films show a further increase in their microhardness after exposure to SM. These results were supported by physicochemical techniques like plasma and amine etching, which revealed complex etching phenomena giving rise to a structure-specific pattern. The film having a higher weight loss due to plasma and amine etching showed lower microhardness. 0 1996
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