Effect of short-term exposure to ozone on the lecithin metabolism of rat lung

Effects of chronic exposure to ozone on pulmonary lipids in rats

Ozone is the most toxic component of photochemical oxidant air pollution. Exposure to high concentrations of ozone produces a variety of toxic effects in the lung, but it is not known to what extent prolonged exposure to low concentrations of ozone may contribute to the development of chronic lung disease. Phospholipids, important components of cellular membranes and surfactant, are necessary for the maintenance of normal lung structure and function. In order to test the effects of chronic exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of ozone on phospholipid metabolism in the lung, rats were exposed to clean air or to 0.12, 0.25 or 0.50 ppm ozone for up to 18 months. The content and biosynthesis of phospholipids in both lung tissue and bronchopulmonary lavage fluid (surfactant) were measured. Incorporation of [14C]acetate into lung tissue phospholipids, an estimate of overall biosynthesis, decreased significantly at some time points in the study, while tissue phospholipid content tended to increase with both ozone concentration and with age. No changes were detected in phospholipid content of bronchopulmonary lavage fluid. These findings did not support the hypothesis that prolonged exposure of rats to environmentally relevant concentrations of ozone results in either qualitative or quantitative deficits in the pulmonary surfactant system.

A study of ozone-induced edema in the isolated rat lung in relation to arachidonic acid metabolism, mixed-function oxidases and angiotensin converting enzyme activities

In order to elucidate the role of arachidonic acid in the pathogenesis of ozone-induced pulmonary edema, isolated rat lungs were exposed to 14C-arachidonic acid in the presence or absence of ozone and the incorporation of radiolabelled arachidonate into pulmonary cell lipids was studied. The perfusates from these studies were also subjected to differential extraction and thin layer chromatography (t.l.c.) to determine synthesis of both cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase products. In the presence of an edemagenic concentration of ozone, isolated lungs incorporated significantly less exogenous arachidonic acid into phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine, whereas incorporation into phosphatidyl inositol or serine was not affected. The edemagenic concentration of ozone also increased production of a variety of arachidonic acid metabolites via cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways. In separate studies, a similar ozone exposure did not affect 14CO2 production, resulting from the metabolism of 14C-antipyrine by mixed function oxidases (MFO). Similarly, an edemagenic concentration of ozone did not affect pulmonary angiotensin converting enzyme activity (ACE) as determined by the rate of formation of 14C-hippuric acid from 14C-hippuryl-histidyl-leucine (14C-HHL). Thus, acute ozone exposure is specifically associated with a reduced incorporation of arachidonate into phospholipids and with an increased conversion of arachidonate into bio-active metabolites.

Phosphatidylcholine synthesis in isolated type II pneumocytes from ozone-exposed rats

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis by alveolar type II cells, as an indicator for the production of pulmonary surfactant, was studied after a 4-h exposure of rats to 4 mg ozone/m3 (2 ppm). Lung ravage fluid analysis after exposure revealed significant increases in proteins, which is indicative for pulmonary injury. When type II cells were isolated immediately and thereafter cultured for 20 h, the rate of PC synthesis in cells derived from ozone-exposed rats was not significantly different from that in cells from unexposed controls. Yet, a decreased rate of PC synthesis was observed when these cells were subsequently exposed to ozone in vitro. The activity of the enzyme glycerolphosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) was slightly enhanced in cultured type II cells isolated from ozone-exposed rats, while the lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase (LPCAT) activity was unchanged. However, ozone exposure of rats did result in a significant decrease of PC synthesis when measured in freshly prepared type II cell suspensions, although both GPAT and LPCAT activities were not affected. It is concluded that a decrease in pulmonary surfactant related PC synthesis after ozone exposure of rats can be demonstrated in freshly isolated type II pneumocytes. Cultured type II cells from exposed rats lack this effect and are therefore less useful to study changes in phospholipid biosynthesis after in vivo ozone exposure. The data on in vitro ozone exposure of cultured type II cells, however, support the view that ozone may impair pulmonary surfactant production.

Effects of ozone on phospholipid synthesis by alveolar type II cells isolated from adult rat lung

Isolated alveolar type II cells were exposed to ozone by gas diffusion through the thin Teflon bottom of culture dishes. After exposure, type II cells were further incubated in the presence of labeled substrates to assess the capacity to synthesize surfactant lipids. The incorporation of [Me-14C]choline into both total and disaturated phosphatidylcholines in inhibited to 50% of the control values under conditions that result in a diffusion of 0.4 microgram O3/18 cm2-dish per 2.5 h. The incorporation rates of [1-14C]palmitate, [1-14C]acetate, D[U-14C]glucose, and [1,3-3H]glycerol into phosphatidylcholines are also lower after ozone exposure. Moreover, the synthesis of phosphatidylglycerols and phosphatidylethanolamines from these substrates is also inhibited by exposure of type II cells to ozone. These incorporation studies indicate that the effect of ozone is early in the biosynthetic pathway, probably at the step catalyzed by the enzyme glycerolphosphate acyltransferase. Determination of the activity of this enzyme after the ozone exposure shows that it is decreased, whereas the activity of lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase is increased. The activity of choline phosphotransferase also appears to be decreased after exposure of type II cells to ozone, although this enzyme was less susceptible than glycerolphosphate acyltransferase. Studies with the sulfhydryl reagent 5,5'-dithiobis (2-nitrobenzoic acid) indicate a positive correlation between the effect of this compound on enzyme activities in sonicated type II cells and the sensitivity of these enzymes in intact cells to ozone. This suggests that the effect of ozone on the synthesis of surfactant lipids is at least partially exerted via oxidation of the sulfhydryl groups of glycerolphosphate acyltransferase.