TY - JOUR ID - 25646 TI - Evaluation of Association Between the Serum Levels of MMP-9 and MMP-9/TIMPs With Soluble Forms of Selectins and Itching Induced by Sulfur Mustard JO - Iranian Journal of Pathology JA - IJP LA - en SN - 1735-5303 AU - Askari, Nayere AU - Ghazanfari, Tooba AU - Naghizadeh, Mohammad Mehdi AU - Moin, Athar AU - Khamesipour, Ali AU - Pourfarzam, Shahryar AU - Hassan, Zuhair Mohammad AD - Dept. of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran AD - Immunoregulation Research Center, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran AD - Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AD - Dept. of Immunology, Tarbiat Moddares University, Tehran, Iran Y1 - 2017 PY - 2017 VL - 12 IS - 3 SP - 257 EP - 264 KW - Mustard Gas KW - Pruritus KW - MMP-9 KW - MMP-9/TIMPs KW - Selectins DO - 10.30699/ijp.2017.25646 N2 - Background & objective: Pruritus is the most frequent chronic dermal complication of sulfur mustard (SM), which negatively influences the quality of life. Exact pathophysiology of SM-induced itching is unknown. The current study aimed at evaluating the possible association between SM-induced itching and the serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and their endogenous inhibitors, and serum levels of soluble forms of selectins (sL-, sP-, and sE-selectins) as adhesion molecules involved in the development of different inflammatory reactions. Methods: Serum levels of MMP-9, MMP-9/ tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), and selectins were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and compared between the groups (n=368) with and without itching, and matched control groups (n=126). Results: Serum levels of MMP-9 were significantly higher in the SM exposed group with itching, compared with that of the group without itching (medians: 894 and 624 pg/mL respectively; P-value =0.034). There was no relationship between the serum levels of MMP-9/TIMP-1, MMP-9/TIMP-2, MMP-9/TIMP-4, and itching in the patients exposed to SM. Median serum levels of sE- and sL-selectins in the exposed group with itching were higher than those of the exposed group without itching. These differences were statistically insignificant (P-values =0.084 and 0.095, respectively). Conclusion: According to the results of the current study, the increased serum levels of MMP-9 and selectins 20 years after exposure may play role in the pathogenesis and persistence of SM-induced itching in the exposed individuals. UR - https://ijp.iranpath.org/article_25646.html L1 - https://ijp.iranpath.org/article_25646_79aae9948481ca0ccf4be0736da1ae93.pdf ER -