Leukocyte-mediated epithelial injury in ozone-exposed rat lung

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Research Report Health Effects Institue; (United States)

OSTI ID:5740826

Donaldson, K; Brown, G M; Brown, D M; Slight, J; Maclaren, W M; Davis, J M ^[1]

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1. Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, Scotland (United Kingdon)

Both epithelial injury and inflammation are characteristic findings in the centriacinar regions of the lungs of rats exposed to ozone. In humans such effects could lead to long-term lung damage and disease. In animals, neoplastic change in the lungs after exposure to ozone has been described previously. The possible relationships between inflammatory cell recruitment, epithelial injury, and hyperplasia, with special regard to the important role of repair processes in leading to increased incidence of tumors in some species, have been addressed in the present study. We have previously described that leukocytes from lungs inflamed by different agents can injure epithelial cells in vitro. We have suggested that this leukocyte-mediated epithelial injury could enhance epithelial turnover in ozone-exposed lungs and so enhance the likelihood of tumor development. We, therefore, set out to test the hypothesis that bronchoalveolar leukocytes from ozone-exposed lungs can injure epithelial cells in vitro. PVG rats were exposed to 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 parts per million (ppm) ozone for seven hours per day for up to four days. On the morning following the last exposure, bronchoalveolar lavage was used to sample the bronchoalveolar leukocytes and the following parameters were assessed: total number, differential leukocyte count, production of oxidants, ability to degrade fibronectin, and ability to injure epithelial cells. In addition to these parameters, which were measured at all concentrations and time points in limited experiments, we also assessed macrophage size in short-term culture and inflammation in histological sections of lungs. Total number of lavageable cells was not affected by ozone inhalation. However, the percentage of macrophages decreased with ozone treatment and the percentage of neutrophils increased on days 1 and 2 at 0.6 and 0.8 ppm ozone.

• OSTI ID: 5740826
• Journal Information: Research Report Health Effects Institue; (United States), Journal Name: Research Report Health Effects Institue; (United States) Vol. 44; ISSN 1041-5505; ISSN RRHIE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY
BIOLOGICAL REPAIR
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
EPITHELIUM
IN VITRO
INFLAMMATION
LAVAGE
LEUKOCYTES
LUNGS
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
ORGANS
OZONE
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
RATS
RECOVERY
REPAIR
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RODENTS
SYMPTOMS
TISSUES
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES