Surveying the chronic complications of mustard gas on lymphocyte B by means of surface markers

ABSTRACT

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