In vivo effect of ozone inhalation on xenobiotic metabolism of lung and liver of rats.

Male Jcl:Wistar rats were exposed to 0.4 and 0.8 ppm O3 daily for 7 h for 14 d to examine the effect of O3 on xenobiotic metabolism of lung and liver microsomes. An exposure to 0.4 ppm O3 did not affect the microsomal xenobiotic metabolism of either lung or liver. On the other hand, 0.8 ppm O3 increased significantly the NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase activity and the cytochrome P-450 content of lung microsomes. The activities of lung benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase also increased significantly on d 7, and remained at a higher level by the d 14. These results show that exposures to 0.8 ppm O3 induce the xenobiotic metabolizing systems in the lung. In the liver, after the first day of exposure to 0.8 ppm O3, a significant reduction occurred in all components of the electron-transport systems examined as well as in the microsomal protein. A significant decrease was also observed in benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylation, 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation, and aniline hydroxylation. The decreased activities recovered in the following period of exposure. In contrast, the p-nitroanisole N-demethylase activity was not altered during the 14-d exposures. These results suggest that some isozymes of the hepatic cytochrome P-450 are sensitive to O3 inhalation but other(s) are resistant.