Discrepancy between mRNA and Protein Expression of Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin in Bronchial Epithelium Induced by Sulfur Mustard

Abstract

Sulfur mustard (SM) is a potent vesicant that has been employed as a chemical weapon in various conflicts during the 20th century. More recently, mustard was used in the Iraq conflict against Iranian troops and civilians. At the present time there are more than 40.000 people suffering from pulmonary lesions special bronchiolitis obliterans (BOs) due to mustard gas. SM increases the endogenous production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Neutrophil Gelatinase-associated Lipocalin 2 (Lcn2, NGAL) is a member of the lipocalin superfamily for which a variety of functions such as cellular protection against oxidative stress have been reported. Ten normal and Twenty SM-induced COPD patient individuals were studied. Assessment of NGAL expressions in healthy and the patients endobrinchial biopsies were performed by semiquantitative RT-PCR, real-time RT-PCR, and Immunohistochemistry analysis. While Normal control samples expressed same level of mRNA NGAL, expression level of mRNA-NGAL was upregulated about 1.4- to 9.8-folds compared to normal samples. No significant immunoreactivity was revealed in both samples. As we are aware this is the first report of induction of NGAL in patients exposed to SM. NGAL may play an important role in cellular protection against oxidative stress toxicity induced by mustard gas in airway wall of patients.

ENaC in the Rabbit Lacrimal Gland and its Changes During Sjögren Syndrome and Pregnancy

“…It worth noting that there were apparent discrepancy between our RT-PCR and Western blot results, a phenomenon seen in our previous reports 2,28,41,42 with other molecules 45,46 , and many other tissues/organs, with a number of possible explanations proposed, i.e., disruption in protein translation and post-translational modification, necessitating more studies, particularly the functional aspects of these molecules.…”

HO1 mRNA and Protein do not Change in Parallel in Bronchial Biopsies of Patients after Long Term Exposure to Sulfur Mustard

“…Ghanei and colleagues found that N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a mucolytic medicine with antioxidant effect, improved the clinical symptoms of SM injured people,10,38,40 which is emphasised by our result.…”

Sulfur mustard induced nuclear translocation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase (GAPDH)

“…In this context, prior to its nuclear translocation, oxidative stress induced S-nitrosylation of the active site (cys 149 ) which is required for interactions with Siah1 [28,29]. Prior work has demonstrated the role of oxidative and nitrosative stress after SM exposure [30][31][32][33][34][35][36]. Thus radical-induced post-translational modifications including S-nitrosylation of GAPDH can be assumed.…”