Pseudo-Epidermis: A Model System for Investigating Molecular and Cellular Pathways of Cutaneous Epidermal Toxicity from Sulfur Mustard

Abstract

Damage to DNA, Inhibition of DNA replication and mitosis, appearance of abnormal keratin peptide and large differentiated cells and, finally, death of cells occur dose- and time-responsively in submerged cultures of keratinocytes exposed to bis-(b-chloroethyl)sulfide (BCES). However, the relevance of these Parameters to vesication in human skin exposed to mustard in vivo has yet to be established. The pseudo-epidermis cultured from human cutaneous keratinocytes offers a system in which the pathogenic importance of each of these parameters can be evaluated. To establish the validity of the system, it is necessary to show that the pseudo-epidermis undergoes similar dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity from BCES as is observed in the human skin after topical exposure to the mustard. This report includes data which demonstrate a dose- and time-dependent destruction of the germinative layer in human pseudo-epidermis after topical application of BCES. In addition, data are included to show that DNA is a primary target for BCES in pseudo-epidermis as it is in vivo. Also included in this report is a proposed sequence of molecular and cellular events to account for cytotoxicity in the germinative population of the pseudo-epidermis after exposure to BCES.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 13, 1993
Accession Number
ADP008762

Entities

People

  • F. L. Vaughan
  • I. A. Bernstein
  • L. I. Bernstam
  • P. P. Lin
  • Y. H. Yang

Organizations

  • University of Michigan

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Cells
  • Continents
  • Epidermis
  • Epithelial Cells
  • Excision
  • Geographic Regions
  • Growth Factors
  • Histological Techniques
  • Inhibition
  • Membranes
  • North America
  • Nucleotides
  • Proteins
  • Sequences
  • Skin
  • Synthetic Membranes
  • Toxicity

Fields of Study

  • Biology
  • Medicine

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Geochemistry
  • Molecular Genetics