Carbohydrate cytochemistry of bonnet monkey (Macaca radiaca) nasal epithelium. Response to ambient levels of ozone.

The main purpose of this study was to determine whether exposures to ambient levels of ozone induced changes in the carbohydrate content in the anterior nasal cavity of bonnet monkey. Monkeys were exposed to 0.00. 0.15, or 0.30 ppm of ozone for 6 or 90 days, 8 hours/day. Monkeys treated for 90 days to 0.15 or 0.30 ppm of ozone displayed damaged ciliated cells and a new cell type in their respiratory nasal epithelium, the "intermediate" cells possessing morphological characteristics of both ciliated and secretory cells. Characterization of the secretory cell carbohydrates with the PA-TCH-SP, HID-TCH-SP and LID-TCH-SP techniques indicated the existence of periodate-reactive sulfated and carboxylated polysaccharides in both treated and control monkeys. Ozone-inhalation, however, induced the appearance of a large number of mucous cells with dilated cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum compared to controls, which reacted negatively for sugar presence. In addition, in the respiratory epithelium ozone induced the increase of cells with intracytoplasmic lumina containing material reacted positively for sulfated and carboxylated polysaccharides.