1. Nasal allergy-like symptoms aggravated by ozone exposure in a concentration-dependent manner in guinea pigs
- Author
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Iijima, Mariko K. and Kobayashi, Takahiro
- Subjects
- *
ALLERGIC rhinitis , *SYMPTOMS , *GUINEA pigs , *ALLERGIES - Abstract
Our previous study revealed that exposure to 0.4 ppm ozone (O3) enhanced nasal allergy-like reactions in guinea pigs. In the present study, we investigated the concentration-dependency of the effects of exposure to O3 on the aggravation of nasal allergy-like reactions induced by repeated nasal administration of antigen. Guinea pigs were exposed to filtered air or 0.1–0.6 ppm O3 for 5 weeks. After each weekly administration of ovalbumin (OVA), sneezes and nasal secretions were measured. The number of eosinophils infiltrating the nasal septum and the titers of OVA-specific antibody were measured 24 h after the last administration. Ozone increased sneezing and nasal secretion induced by OVA, nasal responsiveness to physical stimuli, and the number of infiltrating eosinophils in a concentration-dependent manner. The titer of anti-OVA-IgG was increased in animals exposed to 0.6 ppm O3. Thus, exposure to O3 aggravated nasal allergy-like symptoms concentration dependently. The aggravation was caused by induction of nasal hyperresponsiveness, the infiltration of eosinophils, and the increase in the production of anti-OVA-IgG. The estimated maximum likelihood estimation concentrations (MLECs) and bench mark concentrations (BMCs) of O3 for these indices were in the range of 0.09–0.18 and 0.02–0.06 ppm, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2004
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