Sulfur mustard gas and epigenetic modifications in skin cancer: A Review

Introduction: Cutaneous malignancy is caused by the accumulation of genetic and epigenetic alterations, which induce alterations in the expression of genes. The list of environmental factors implicated in cutaneous malignancy include chemical agents isgrowing.Sulfur mustard (SM), a major potent chemical warfare agent in Iran–Iraq warcan cause long-term carcinogenicity especially on skin and lung even years after a single exposure.However, theexact mechanisms of cutaneous cancer development by SM gas are poorly understood.Herein, we review available published data regardingrole of SM as an epigenetic factor in the restoration cutaneous cancer cells.Description: Keratinocyte differentiation is regulated by signal transduction events and transcription factors. In addition, epigenetic regulatory mechanisms have been demonstrated as a regulation of differentiation-related genes.Recent reports indicate that SM convert the normal epigenetic marks during carcinogenesis. After SM gas exposureDNA methylation and histone acetylation or histone di-methylation were documented in human skin sample. SM had only some minor effects on histone modifications. However, a significant and pronounced increase of DNA methylation was detected. So in one hand the main epigenetic mechanisms studied in epidermal cells exposed to SM gas are DNA methylation which finally resulting in changes of cellular phenotypes and in the other hand alterations in DNA methylation have been reported important key in aberrant keratinocyte differentiationand skincancerdevelopment.Some investigation indicate that SM does indeed cause epigenetic modifications that appear to persist over time.Conclusion: There are several epigenetics modificationsby SM in development of skin cancer and even in SM animal models. Since in skin cancer, diverse epigenetic alterations by SM in cancer-related genes occur in the early stages of tumor development, it can be promising targets for the development of novel drugs targeting in feature for provide a linking betweenclinical and molecular findings.

کلیدواژه ها:

Mustard Gas ، Epigenetic ، Skin Neoplasms ، DNA methylation