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Sulfur mustard (SM) is a chemical warfare agent with well-known severe toxic effects and may cause long-term debilitating injuries. We aimed to evaluate aging and longevity in Iranian SM-exposed survivors using some endocrine and molecular biomarkers for the first time. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), prolactin (PRL), cortisol, testosterone, and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured in 289 male SM-veterans and 66 age-matched males using the ELISA method. Leukocyte Telomere Length (LTL) measurement and p16INK4a expression were measured in the peripheral blood leukocytes of 55 males who were exposed to SM. We found a significantly lower serum DHEAS level and higher serum PRL level in SM-exposed groups (without any related to the severity of lung injuries) compared to healthy controls, but no significant difference in serum levels of cortisol, testosterone, and LH. The molar ratio of DHEAS/cortisol was significantly higher in controls compared to the SM-exposed individuals especially those with severe lung damage. Some biological parameters of allostatic load score such as DHEAS and DHEAS/cortisol ratio significantly decreased long-term after the SM exposure. Additionally, we found that LTL was shorter in SM-exposed veterans rather than unexposed controls while p16INK4a gene expression significantly increased in these groups. It seems that DHEAS, DHEAS/cortisol ratio, LTL, and p16INK4a gene expression have changed significantly in favor of cellular senescence in SM-exposed patients. Therefore, it seems that SM exposure increases biological age compared to chronological age in SM-exposed survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to examine the in vitro and in vivo antioxidative and radical scavenging potential of organic extracts of the aerial parts and roots of Ferula szovitsiana DC (Umbelliferae). Extracts were evaluated for ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities in vitro. The influence of the most potent sample was examined in rats for the prevention of plasma and liver lipid peroxidation and activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The methanol extract was found as the most active in scavenging DPPH radicals and in FRAP and showed the greatest polyphenol content. The phenolic content of the extracts positively correlated with the FRAP values (r2 = 0.92, p < 0.0001) and DPPH scavenging activity (r2 = 0.96, p < 0.0001) in vitro. Administration of the methanol extract to rats decreased lipid peroxidation in plasma and liver, whereas FRAP of plasma increased. The activities of CAT and SOD increased in the liver. These results lead to the conclusion that F. szovitsiana extracts show relevant antioxidant activity both in vitro and in vivo by means of scavenging free radicals, reducing cellular lipid peroxidation, increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and total antioxidant power. The higher antioxidant potential of the methanol extract of F. szovitsiana shown in the current study indicates that most of the active constituents of this plant are polar phenolic components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur mustard (SM) is a chemical warfare agent with well-known severe toxic effects and may cause long-term debilitating injuries. We aimed to evaluate aging and longevity in Iranian SM-exposed survivors using some endocrine and molecular biomarkers for the first time. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), prolactin (PRL), cortisol, testosterone, and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured in 289 male SM-veterans and 66 age-matched males using the ELISA method. Leukocyte Telomere Length (LTL) measurement and p16 INK4a expression were measured in the peripheral blood leukocytes of 55 males who were exposed to SM. We found a significantly lower serum DHEAS level and higher serum PRL level in SM-exposed groups (without any related to the severity of lung injuries) compared to healthy controls, but no significant difference in serum levels of cortisol, testosterone, and LH. The molar ratio of DHEAS/cortisol was significantly higher in controls compared to the SM-exposed individuals especially those with severe lung damage. Some biological parameters of allostatic load score such as DHEAS and DHEAS/cortisol ratio significantly decreased long-term after the SM exposure. Additionally, we found that LTL was shorter in SM-exposed veterans rather than unexposed controls while p16 INK4a gene expression significantly increased in these groups. It seems that DHEAS, DHEAS/cortisol ratio, LTL, and p16 INK4a gene expression have changed significantly in favor of cellular senescence in SM-exposed patients. Therefore, it seems that SM exposure increases biological age compared to chronological age in SM-exposed survivors.

Calcium and zinc binding protein, calprotectin is a multifunctional protein with broad spectrum antimicrobial and antitumoural activity. It was purified from human neutrophil, using a two-step ion exchange chromatography. Since surface hydrophobicity of calprotectin may be important in membrane anchoring, membrane penetration, subunits oligomerization and some biological roles of protein, in this study attempted to explore the effect of calcium in physiological range on the calprotectin lipophilicity. Incubation of human calprotectin (50 microg/ml) with different calcium concentrations showed that 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonic acid (ANS) fluorescence intensity of the protein significantly elevates with calcium in a dose dependent manner, suggesting an increase in calprotectin surface hydrophobicity upon calcium binding. Our study also indicates that calcium at higher concentrations (6, 8 and 10 mM) induces aggregation of human calprotectin. Our finding demonstrates that the starting time and the rate constant of calprotectin aggregation depend on the calcium concentration.