Exposure of humans to ambient levels of ozone for 6. 6 hours causes cellular and biochemical changes in the lung

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1165/ajrcmb/4.1.72· OSTI ID:6143492

Devlin, R B; McDonnell, W F; Mann, R; Becker, S; House, D E; Schreinemachers, D; Koren, H S ^[1]

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1. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (USA)

An acute (2 h) exposure of humans to 0.4 ppm ozone initiates biochemical changes in the lung that result in the production of components mediating inflammation and acute lung damage as well as components having the potential to lead to long-term effects such as fibrosis. However, many people are exposed to lower levels of ozone than this, but for periods of several hours. Therefore, it is important to determine if a prolonged exposure to low levels of ozone is also capable of causing cellular and biochemical changes in the lung. Nonsmoking males were randomly exposed to filtered air and either 0.10 ppm ozone or 0.08 ppm ozone for 6.6 h with moderate exercise (40 liters/min). Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed 18 h after each exposure, and cells and fluid were analyzed. The BAL fluid of volunteers exposed to 0.10 ppm ozone had significant increases in neutrophils (PMNs), protein, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), fibronectin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) compared with BAL fluid from the same volunteers exposed to filtered air. In addition, there was a decrease in the ability of alveolar macrophages to phagocytize yeast via the complement receptor. Exposure to 0.08 ppm ozone resulted in significant increases in PMNs, PGE2, LDH, IL-6, alpha 1-antitrypsin, and decreased phagocytosis via the complement receptor. However, BAL fluid protein and fibronectin were no longer significantly elevated. We conclude that exposure of humans to as low a level as 0.08 ppm for 6.6 h is sufficient to initiate an inflammatory reaction in the lung.

• OSTI ID: 6143492
• Journal Information: American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology; (USA), Journal Name: American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology; (USA) Vol. 4:1; ISSN 1044-1549; ISSN AJRBE
• 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.
ACUTE EXPOSURE
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CANDIDA
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
ENZYMES
EUMYCOTA
FUNGI
HEMIACETAL DEHYDROGENASES
LACTATE DEHYDROGENASE
LAVAGE
LEUKOCYTES
LUNGS
MACROPHAGES
MAMMALS
MAN
MATERIALS
MICROORGANISMS
NEUTROPHILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
OZONE
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PHAGOCYTES
PHAGOCYTOSIS
PLANTS
PRIMATES
PROTEINS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SOMATIC CELLS
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES
YEASTS