The Short-Term Effects of Sulfur Mustard Gas on the Complement System

Abstract

Background: The serum levels of C₃, C4, and the total hemolytic activity of complement system (CH50) of patients ex­posed to mustard gas (MG) in the battlefield were measured in this study.

Methods: C3 and C4 were measured by single radial immunodifusion and CH50 was evaluated according to total hemolytic activ­ity of the serum.

Results:  The serum levels of C₃ showed a significant increase on day 3 after exposure to MG. The serum levels of C₃ in the sera of patients collected during 4-18 and 19-31 days after exposure to MG were also found to have increased significantly com­paring to those of the controls. The levels of C₄ in the sera of patients collected from the patients during 4-18 and 19-31 days after exposure were also found to be significantly higher than those of the controls. However the increase in the serum lev­els of C₄ were not in the same magnitude as those of the C₃. The serum CH50, which is a measure of the total hemolytic activ­ity of classical complement system also showed a significant increase in patients' sera on day 3 and in the sera collected dur­ing 4-18 days after exposure. However, the CH50 in the sera of patients showed a decrease in the sera collected during 19-31 days after exposure to MG.

Conclusion: Since C3 is an acute phase protein as well as a complement component, these results are discussed in terms of a vigorous acute phase response and activation of the complement system.