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Gender differences in ozone-induced pulmonary and metabolic health effects
Citation:
Kodavanti, U., V. Bass, M. Schladweiler, C. Gordon, K. Jarema, P. Phillips, A. Ledbetter, D. Miller, S. Snow, AND J. Richards. Gender differences in ozone-induced pulmonary and metabolic health effects. Society of Toxicology (SOT) Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, March 22 - 26, 2015.
Impact/Purpose:
Although both males and females are exposed to air pollution, most toxicology studies have used male rodents to examine the mechanisms of health effects. These data provide the evidence that female BN rats having higher levels of cholesterol, body fat and glucose are more susceptible to ozone-induced pulmonary and metabolic effects
Description:
SOT 2015 abstractGender differences in ozone-induced pulmonary and metabolic health effectsU.P. Kodavanti1, V.L. Bass2, M.C. Schladweiler1, C.J. Gordon3, K.A. Jarema3, P. Phillips3, A.D. Ledbetter1, D.B. Miller4, S. Snow5, J.E. Richards1. 1 EPHD, NHEERL, USEPA, Research Triangle Park, NC. 2. SPH, UNC, Chapel Hill3. TAD, NHEERL, USEPA, Research Triangle Park, NC 4. CIT UNC, Chapel Hill5. ORISE, Research Triangle Park, NCORISE, UNC SPH, Chapel Hill, NC, NHEERL, USEPA, Research Triangle Park, NCAlthough both males and females are exposed to air pollution, most toxicology studies have used male rodents to examine the mechanisms of health effects. Recently, we have shown that ozone induces systemic metabolic alterations, in addition to pulmonary injury, which are influenced by diet. Since body metabolic composition differ between genders, in this study we wanted to compare ozone induced pulmonary and systemic metabolic effects between male and female Brown Norway (BN) rats. Four months old rats were exposed to air or ozone (0.8 ppm), 5 hours/day, 1 day/week, for either 1 week or 4 consecutive weeks. Body fat composition and glucose tolerance were examined prior to ozone exposure. Glucose tolerance was also examined immediately after weekly episodic ozone exposures. Pulmonary toxicity and systemic metabolic changes were examined immediately following the 1 or 4 week exposures (n=10). Female BN rats exposed to air had relatively greater body fat % when compared to males, in addition to having higher levels of serum triglycerides, cholesterol and glucose but lower leptin and insulin levels. Ozone increased BALF protein and albumin in females but not males. Both males and females had >10% of cells as eosinophils in the BALF. No specific differences in BALF inflammatory cells were noted between air and ozone exposed rats of either gender, except for a decrease in lavageable macrophages in females. This change was associated with a small but consistent depletion of circulating lymphocytes in ozone exposed female rats. Ozone increased circulating leptin in females but not in males immediately post 1-day exposure. No ozone effects were noted in circulating insulin, cholesterol or triglycerides in either sex. These data provide the evidence that female BN rats having higher levels of cholesterol, body fat and glucose are more susceptible to ozone-induced pulmonary and metabolic effects. (Does not reflect US EPA policy).