New Approaches Towards the Elucidation of Epidermal-Dermal Separation in Sulfur Mustard-Exposed Human Skin and Directions for Therapy

Abstract

Microvesication in human skin, due to ex viva exposure to HD, can be blocked by 1) hydroxamate-based inhibitors of MMPs and related enzymes, 2) furin inhibitor and 3) pancaspase inhibitor. The observation that one of the hydroxamate-based inhibitors, BB94, can be applied until 18h after exposure to HD suggests that non-urgent cure of HD casualties is possible. During pathogenesis of HD-induced microvesication the expression of laminin-5, one of the key proteins in epidermal dermal attachment, is reduced. However, although laminin-5 is target protein for MMps and related enzymes, these enzymes are not responsible for the decrease in laminin-5 expression. Moreover, epidermal-dermal attachment is still possible, in spite of reduced amounts of laminin-5. Cleavage of other attachment proteins than laminin-5 by MMps and related enzymes probably causes the break between epidermis and dermis. Impediment of the apoptotic cell death process appears to be also very effective in maintaining epidermal-dermal adhesion. The observation that caspase inhibitors prevent fragmentation of keratins 14, 16, and 17 in HD-exposed HEK may suggest that an intact cytoskeleton of keratin filaments is essential for epidermal-dermal adhesion. The observation that caspase inhibitors prevent fragmentation of keratins 14, 16, and 17 in HD-exposed HEK may suggest that an intact cytoskeleton of keratin filaments is essential for epidermal-dermal attachment.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2004
Accession Number
ADA423257

Entities

People

  • Marijke A. Mol

Organizations

  • Prins Maurits Laboratorium TNO

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Attachment
  • Cell Physiological Processes
  • Cells
  • Chemistry
  • Epithelial Cells
  • Epithelium
  • Fragmentation
  • Histological Techniques
  • Histology
  • Immunostaining
  • Inhibitors
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Observation
  • Peptides
  • Proteins
  • Skin
  • Two Dimensional

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Geochemistry
  • Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry