Alterations of Gene Expression in Sulfur Mustard‐Exposed Skin Topically Treated with Vanilloids

Sulfur mustard [bis(2‐chloroethyl)sulfide, SM] is a chemical warfare agent that penetrates the skin rapidly and causes extensive blistering. Using the mouse ear vesicant model (MEVM), we evaluated the effect of topically applied anti‐inflammatory agents (octyl homovanillamide and heptyl isovanillamide) on ear edema formation and gene expression following SM exposure. Relative ear weight and real‐time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction of GM‐CSF, IL‐1β, and IL‐6 were used to evaluate the effects of octyl homovanillamide and heptyl isovanillamide. Both vanilloids significantly reduced SM‐induced edema. At the single dose and number of animals/group tested, octyl homovanillamide produced a trend of reduced mRNA levels; however, the reduction was not significant for GM‐CSF, IL‐1β, or IL‐6. Heptyl isovanillamide significantly reduced (p ≤ 0.05) GM‐CSF, IL‐1β, and IL‐6 mRNA levels. These results show that octyl homovanillamide and heptyl isovanillamide reduce skin edema and heptyl isovanillamide significantly reduced cytokine mRNA expression following SM exposure. In addition to measuring edema formation, monitoring expression of biomarkers such as GM‐CSF, IL‐1β, and IL‐6 may also serve to evaluate therapeutic treatments against SM‐induced dermal injury.