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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]

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.

Background: There are limited studies on food security, physical activity, and social capital in the Iranian population. This study aimed to evaluate the social capital's associations with physical inactivity and food insecurity in a large-scale study in Iran, Urban HEART-2., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 22 districts of Tehran, the capital of Iran. Residents of Tehran who were 15 years or older were selected by a multi-stage, stratified, and random sampling method. Food insecurity and physical activity were evaluated using Household Food Security Scale and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, respectively, and their associations with social capital were evaluated., Results: A total of 5030 individuals were included in this study, with 3139 (62.4%) males. The mean age of participants was 44.08 years (SD = 16.33, range = 15-90). Participation in social events (OR = 0.893, 95% CI = 0.819-0.974, P  = 0.011), social network (OR = 0.849, 95% CI = 0.786, P  < 0.001), and voluntary activities (OR = 0.865, 95% CI = 0.812-0.921, P  < 0.001) were all negatively associated with food insecurity. Also, voluntary activities (OR = 0.823, 95% CI = 0.776-0.872, P  < 0.001) and participation in the associations activities (OR = 0.665, 95% CI = 0.582-0.759, P  < 0.001) were negatively associated with physical inactivity., Conclusion: The prevalence of food insecurity and physical inactivity is relatively high among Tehran residents. As a factor affecting the physical activity and food security, social capital can be targeted in interventions to improve physical activity and food security among Iranians., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article., (Copyright © 2022 Amin Nakhostin-Ansari et al.)