Urban levels of air pollution increase lung responsiveness in rats

Journal Article · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · Environmental Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1006/enrs.1995.1030· OSTI ID:426055

Pereira, P M; Saldiva, P H.N.; Sakae, R S; Bohm, G M; Martins, M A ^[1]

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1. Universidade de Sao Paulo (Brazil)

This study was designed to investigate if animals exposed to urban levels of air pollution develop pulmonary hyperresponsiveness and to test if this change was reversed after moving the animals to a nonpolluted environment. One hundred twenty male Wistar rats were kept in (a) Sao Paulo (polluted environment) for 3 months (SP3); (b) Atibaia (clean region), for 3 months (A3); (c) Sao Paulo for 3 months and then Atibaia for a further 3 months (SPA6); (d) Atibaia for 6 months (A6). After the exposure period, the rats were submitted to dose-responsive curves to inhaled methacholine. Older animals (SPA6 and A6) had lower responses to methacholine in terms of respiratory system resistance when compared to the animals studied after 3 months of experiment (SP3 and A3). However, the response in terms of respiratory system elastance of the SP3 group was significantly (P = 0.0004) greater than those of the other three groups. Our results suggest that the environmental conditions of the large urban centers can induce pulmonary hyperresponsiveness in rats that can be reversed when the animals are removed to a nonpolluted area. 20 refs., 5 figs.

• OSTI ID: 426055
• Journal Information: Environmental Research, Journal Name: Environmental Research Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 69; ISSN ENVRAL; ISSN 0013-9351
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
AIR POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
RATS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
URBAN AREAS