Cutaneous exposure to bis-(2-chloroethyl)sulfide results in neutrophil infiltration and increased solubility of 180,000 mr subepidermal collagens

Exposure to bis-(2-chloroethyl)sulfide (BCES; “sulfur mustard”) causes delayed formation of slowly healing skin blisters. Although the histopathology of BCES injury is well characterized [reviewed in Smith et al., J Am Acad Dermatol 32: 767–776, 1995], little is known of the cutaneous toxicity at the molecular level. To identify biological markers of exposure, epidermal and subepidermal extracts were prepared from 48 individual hairless guinea...