Molecules and pathways implicated in sulfur mustard (SM)-induced apoptosis

Molecules and pathways implicated in sulfur mustard (SM)-induced apoptosis. All molecules in red have been demonstrated to be activated or upregulated in SM exposure. Molecules in white have been demonstrated to play a fundamental role in apoptosis in many other systems but have not yet been directly implicated in SM injury. SM-induced DNA damage is believed to lead to p53 activation. SM exposure also induces a rise in the intracellular concentration of Ca2+; though the mechanism of Ca2+; release and precise insult leading to the release remain unclear. However both p53 and Ca2+;signaling appear to lead to the activation of intrinsic mitochondrial pathways of apoptosis. While SM-induced DNA damage does induce PARP activation, the role of PARP in apoptosis may be cell-type dependent and the exact pathway remains to be demonstrated. SM exposure has also been demonstrated to lead to the upregulation of both Fas and FasL activating the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis. However, the mechanism(s) of upregulation of Fas and FasL in SM injury is unknown.

Publication

Signaling Molecules in Sulfur Mustard-Induced Cutaneous Injury. (2008) Albert L. Ruff, et al. Eplasty. 2008;8:e2. Figure: F2. All organisms Mus musculus Sus scrofa Cavia porcellus Oryctolagus cuniculus Homo sapiens Xenopus laevis Drosophila melanogaster

Disease mentions