http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/137537012

Antivesicant Strategies Based on DNA Repair and Apoptosis

DNA is a major cellular target of the vesicant chemical warfare agent sulfur mustard (SM, bis-(2-chloroethyl) sulfide). Others and we have proposed a possible role of apoptosis in SM vesication. Our results suggest that in SM-exposed human epidermal keratinicytes (HEK), DNA damage, DNA repair, and apoptosis may be interdependent. In HEK, SM causes cell death accompanied by caspase-3 activation indicating apoptosis. The general caspase inhibitor A-VAD-FMK (benzyl oxycarbonly-Val-Ala (o-methyl-fluromethylketone)) decreases not only SM induced apoptosis, but also protease stimulation consequent degradation of laminin-5 which maintains epidermal-dermal junction integrity. This knowledge may, therefore, be useful in developing successful antivesicant strategies.

Open All Close All