Surveying the Chronic Complications of Mustard Gas on Lymphocyte B by means of Surface Markers

Mustard gas may cause acute (early) and chronic (late) lesions. Acute lesions include disseminated bullous lesions on skin, respiratory, and GI disorders chronic complications are chronic bronchitis, severe asthma, and malignancies. B cells are active part of humoral immunity that secrete antibodies to defend our body.

We have evaluated 3 groups of patients, each including 25 patients as well as 10 control subjects. Complete blood count, morphological and flowcytometric studies were carried out. For flowcytometric studies 4 markers of CD45, CD19, HLA-DR, and CD25 were assessed on surface of B cells with CD45/CD19/HLA-DR phenotype. Their performance was investigated with CD25.

Our findings have revealed a significant decrease in CD25 on B cells' surface that is associated with recurrent microbial infections, in patients exposed to mustard gas.

Genetic changes in B cells, due to mustard gas inhalation may predispose individuals to recurrent infections such as pneumonia.