Effects of protein deficiency and food restriction on lung ascorbic acid and glutathione in rats exposed to ozone

Journal Article · Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1985 · J. Nutr.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5001492

Dubick, M A; Heng, H; Rucker, R B

Weanling (52 +/- 4 g) or adult (259 +/- 16 g) male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed ad libitum casein-based diets containing 4 or 16% protein. A third group (food restricted) was fed daily the 16% protein diet, but at the food intake level of the 4% protein group. After 3 wk (weanling) or 5 wk (adults), half of the rats in each group were continuously exposed to 0.64 ppm ozone for 7 d. Ascorbic acid and reduced glutathione levels were then measured. In the heart and liver from weanling rats, ascorbic acid concentrations were lower in the protein-deficient group than in either control group. In the liver from weanling rats glutathione concentrations were also reduced in response to protein deficiency. Exposure to ozone produced no additional response. For adult rats the response for liver glutathione was similar to that of the weanlings. The liver ascorbate concentration, however, was consistently lower in adult rats compared to weanlings exposed to ozone. In lungs from adult rats, the ascorbic acid concentration was lower in the protein-deficient group than in either control group. On a whole-organ basis, both ascorbic acid and glutathione were usually higher in lungs from rats exposed to ozone than from those exposed to air. Interestingly, protein deficiency did not appear to compromise the lung's ability to maintain, in relative terms, the ascorbic acid or glutathione concentration in response to ozone.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Davis
• OSTI ID: 5001492
• Journal Information: J. Nutr.; (United States), Vol. 8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ASCORBIC ACID
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
GLUTATHIONE
OZONE
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
PROTEINS
NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY
AGING
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
FOOD
HEART
LIVER
LUNGS
MYOCARDIUM
RATS
ANIMALS
BODY
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISTRIBUTION
DRUGS
GLANDS
MAMMALS
MUSCLES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PEPTIDES
POLYPEPTIDES
RADIOPROTECTIVE SUBSTANCES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES
VITAMINS
560305* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Vertebrates- (-1987)