Effects of sulfur mustard on selected biochemical parameters of murine peritoneal macrophages in culture

Abstract

The effect of the vesicating agent sulfur mustard (SM) has been investigated in vitro using murine peritoneal macrophages. The rationale for this study was three-fold: (1) the first symptoms after exposure to SM are mucous and cutaneous erythema, itching and oedema suggesting that inflammatory cells may represent an early target of SM toxicity; (2) it has been proposed that macrophages and their secretory products may participate in the degradation of the dermal-epidermal junction; and (3) macrophages are important components of the immune system and any alteration of their metabolism may be relevant in clarifying the immune impairments caused by SM. Cell viability, measured by LDH release and lysozyme production, was reduced in a concentration-dependent manner following exposure to SM at 10 μ m or higher. A reduction of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide production was observed on exposure to concentrations greater than 10 and 1 μ m, respectively. Cell-associated plasminogen activator activity was significanty increased (130% of the control) following exposure to 10 μ m and a decrease occurred with exposures to 100 μ m or more. The release of arachidonic acid equivalents was not significantly affected by SM treatment. These results demonstrate the cytotoxic effects of SM towards macrophages in culture. While activated macrophages may be present in the dermis after in vivo exposure to SM, no evidence was found of a direct stimulatory effect of SM on the production of macrophage inflammatory products.