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Title: Tracheal and bronchoalveolar permeability changes in rats inhaling oxidant atmospheres during rest or exercise

Journal Article · · J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States)

Permeability of tracheal and bronchoalveolar airways of rats was measured and used to examine the effects of inhaled oxidant-containing atmospheres. The atmospheres studied were (a) ozone (O/sub 3/) at 0.6 ppm (1.2 mg/m3) or 0.8 ppm (1.6 mg/m3); (b) nitrogen dioxide (NO/sub 2/) at 6 ppm (11.3 mg/m3) or 12 ppm (22.6 mg/m3); (c) O3 + NO/sub 2/ at 0.6 ppm (1.2 mg/m3) and 2.5 ppm (4.7 mg/m3), respectively; and (d) a 7-component particle and gas mixture (complex atmosphere) representing urban air pollution in a photochemical environment. The rats were exposed for 2 h. The effects of exercise during exposure were evaluated by exposing additional groups in an enclosed treadmill. Exposure of resting rats to 0.8 ppm O/sub 3/ increased tracheal permeability to DTPA and bronchoalveolar permeability to diethylenetriamine pentaacetate (DTPA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) at 1 h after the exposure. Bronchoalveolar, but not tracheal, permeability remained elevated at 24 h after the exposure. Exercise during exposure to O/sub 3/ increased permeability to both tracers in the tracheal and the bronchoalveolar zones, and prolonged the duration of increased permeability in the tracheal zone from 1 h to 24 h, and in the bronchoalveolar zone from 24 h to 48 h. Permeability in the tracheal and bronchoalveolar zones of rats exposed at rest to 6 or 12 ppm NO/sub 2/ did not differ from controls. However, rats exposed during exercise to 12 ppm NO/sub 2/ for 2 h developed a significant increase in tracheal and bronchoalveolar permeability to DTPA and BSA at 1 h, but not at 24 or 48 h, after exposure. Exposure at rest to 0.6 ppm O/sub 3/ plus 2.5 ppm NO/sub 2/ significantly increased bronchoalveolar permeability at 1 and 24 h after exposure, although exposure at rest to 0.6 ppm O/sub 3/ alone increased bronchoalveolar permeability only at 1 h after exposure.

Research Organization:
Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States)
OSTI ID:
5347270
Journal Information:
J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States), Vol. 22:4
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English