skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Deoxyribonucleic acid strand breaks caused by ozone and nitrogen dioxide in rat lung cells

Miscellaneous ·
OSTI ID:5109301

Toxic effects of O{sub 3} and NO{sub 2}, the major oxidants of photochemical smog, are mediated in part by free radical mechanisms. The present study was undertaken to determine if an exposure to O{sub 3} PIUS NO{sub 2} would cause a damage to lung cellular DNA. Three-month old male Sprague-Dawley rats, free of specific pathogens, were exposed to either 1.2 ppm NO{sub 2} or 0.3 ppm O{sub 3} alone, or a combination of the two oxidants continuously for 3 days. The oxidant effects were substantiated by determining total and differential cell counts, lactate dehydrogenase activity and total soluble protein in bronchoalveolar lavage. DNA damage was measured as single-strand breaks (SSB) by alkaline elution assay. The activation of poly (ADP-ribose) synthetase activity was used as an indicator of DNA repair. The results showed that, relative to control, NO{sub 2} exposure at 1.2 ppm did not cause any significant change in the parameters studied. Exposure to 0.3 PPM O{sub 3} and combined exposure to O{sub 3} and NO{sub 2} caused significant changes in all the parameters studied except cell viability. The changes for the combined exposure were synergistic for some of the parameters such as the number of polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN), the percentage of PMNs and pulmonary alveolar macrophage (PAM), and activity of poly(ADPR) synthetase. For the other parameters the increase was additive relative to the effects of O{sub 3} or NO{sub 2} alone. Exposure to O{sub 3} and NO{sub 2} increased the frequency of DNA-SSB in lung cells. This damage induced DNA repair process as shown by an increase in the poly(ADPR) synthetase activity which was synergistic with the combined exposure.

Research Organization:
California Univ., Los Angeles, CA (United States)
OSTI ID:
5109301
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English