Background: Environmental pollutants such as ozone may interact with airway responses to allergen in sensitised individuals. Methods: We examined the effects of a single exposure to ozone (1 ppm for 1 h) on bronchial responsiveness to acetylcholine (ACh) aerosol 3 and 24 h after single ovalbumin (OA) challenge in OA-sensitised anaesthetised guinea pigs. Broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) was performed and protein content and differential cell counts were determined. Results: Ozone increased bronchial responsiveness at 3 h but not at 24 h, while OA alone had no effect. At 3 h after ozone, OA induced further, but non-significant increases in bronchial responsiveness to ACh, but at 24 h after ozone, there was enhanced responsiveness. Neutrophil counts in BAL fluid increased at 3 and 24 h after exposure to ozone alone, but there were no further increases with ozone followed by OA exposure. Protein concentration was significantly increased in the ozone and OA groups at 3 and 24 h (163.4 ± 25.6 and 128.7 ± 7.4 mg/ml, respectively) compared to 54.0 ± 18.1 mg/ml in the control group (p < 0.02 and p < 0.01, respectively). Conclusion: Our data demonstrate an interaction of OA with ozone exposure on bronchial responsiveness; one underlying mechanism could be through damage at the endothelial-epithelial barrier.

Keywords:
Ozone, Airway inflammation, Bronchial responsiveness
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© 1997 S. Karger AG, Basel
1997
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