Ultrastructural characterization of sulfur mustard-induced vesication in isolated perfused porcine skin

Effects of CEES on inflammatory mediators, heat shock protein 70A, histology and ultrastructure in two skin models†**

“…19 Cytoplasmic effects reported for HD exposure of basal keratinocytes in vivo and in vitro include an apparent widening of intercellular spaces, rounding of cells, disabling of desmosomal attachments, cytoplasmic vacuolization, mitochondrial swelling and rearrangement of cytoplasmic tonofilaments to a perinuclear position. 15,17,[20][21][22] These effects were observed in CEES-exposed keratinocytes in both of our models, with the exception of the widening of intercellular spaces. Intercellular clefts appeared to narrow rather than widen in response to CEES exposure in both Skin 2 and EpiDerm.…”

Treatment of keratin intermediate filaments with sulfur mustard analogs

“…Our results leave open the possibility that SM destruction of the kIF network is the mechanism behind the vesicant action of SM. The concentration of CEES and MEC we have used is higher than used in some tissue culture models [11,16,17] but it is similar to the concentrations used in live animal studies [13,14,24,25,[29][30][31].…”

“…One hypothesis for vesicant action is the activation of an endogenous protease by SM [7][8][9][10] and an endogenous inhibitor of this protease has been identified [11,12]. Other investigators have analyzed the effects of SM on basal cell adhesion complex molecules [13][14][15][16][17], hypothesizing alkylation of basal cell adhesion complex molecules results in failure of the complex [16,18], leading to blister formation, similar to inherited skin blistering diseases [19].…”

Acute ocular effects of mustard gas: ultrastructural pathology and immunohistopathology of exposed rabbit cornea†

“…5 On the other hand, in vitro models that are perfusion-supported through intact vascular vestiges readily develop microblisters. 6 In this regard, the cornea reacts to HD exposure much in the manner of an isolated in vitro epithelial system. This may be directly attributable to its avascular anatomical organization.…”