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THE EFFECT OF OZONE ON HUMAN IMMUNITY: IN VITRO RESPONSIVENESS OF LYMPHOCYTES TO PHYTOHEMMAGGLUTININ
Citation:
Peterson, M., N. Rummo, D. House, AND S. Harder. THE EFFECT OF OZONE ON HUMAN IMMUNITY: IN VITRO RESPONSIVENESS OF LYMPHOCYTES TO PHYTOHEMMAGGLUTININ. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-78/025 (NTIS PB284764).
Description:
Peripheral blood lymphocytes from 20 human subjects exposed to 784 micrograms cu m ozone for 4 hours, and from 11 subjects exposed to clean air for the same length of time were studied for in vitro responsiveness to phytohemagglutinin (PHA). Thymus-derived (T) lymphocyte response to PHA (normal response is proliferation of lymphocytes) was significantly suppressed (P<.01) in samples obtained immediately after subjects' exposure to ozone. Recovery of response occurred 2 weeks postexposure. Responses were unchanged in subjects exposed to clean air. The significance of the suppression of T-cell response noted in this study is that (1) if continuous exposures to ozone are shown to induce an immunosuppressed state for a significant time period, an important factor in carcinogenesis might be elucidated; (2) immunosuppression may cause a progression of an already present tumor; (3) immunosuppression may enable endogenous latent infection such as tuberculosis to reactivate; and (4) immunosuppression may explain in part the relationship between chronic oxidant air pollution and influenza-like illnesses in population.