Mucus protection and airway peroxidation following nitrogen dioxide exposure in the rat

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15287398709531074· OSTI ID:6727322

Cavanagh, D G; Morris, J B

In the current study, biochemical measures of lipid peroxidation following 4-h inhalation exposure to 76 mg/m/sup 3/ (40 ppm) nitrogen dioxide were correlated with measures of deposition and tissue antioxidant levels in the nasal cavity and the trachea of the Fischer rat. In addition, respirator-tract mucus samples were collected via esophageal cannulation and nasopharyngeal lavage over known time periods, and were analyzed for phospholipid (PL) content to provide an index of the unsaturated lipids (UL) that they may contain. Nasal deposition efficiency averaged 25%, corresponding to an absolute deposition rate of 41 nmol/min. Vitamin E levels averaged 1.7, 5.9, and 0.7 nmol/..mu..mol PL in nasal, tracheal, and pulmonary tissues, respectively. The level in the trachea was significantly higher than in the other tissues. The overall mucous PL transport rate was less than 0.013 nmol/min, suggesting the PL of the mucous lining layer could not offer significant protection against the inhaled NO/sub 2/. Conjugated dienes were detected in two of four pooled nasal tissue samples. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive material levels in tracheal tissues were significantly elevated over control levels by NO/sub 2/. Thus, despite the relatively high vitamin E levels, 4-h NO/sub 2/ exposure appeared to result in lipid peroxidation in the trachea and, perhaps, in the nasal airways of the rat, a result that correlated with the apparent lack of oxidant-scavenging species in the mucus lining these airways.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6727322
• Journal Information: J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States), Journal Name: J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States) Vol. 22:3; ISSN JTEHD
• 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.
ANIMALS
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
BIOLOGICAL LOCALIZATION
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BODY
BODY AREAS
BODY FLUIDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ESTERS
FACE
HEAD
KINETICS
LIPIDS
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
NOSE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHOLIPIDS
RATS
REACTION KINETICS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RODENTS
TOXICITY
TRACHEA
VERTEBRATES
VITAMIN E
VITAMINS