Changes in lipids of lung lavage in monkeys after chronic exposure to ambient levels of ozone.

A group of 8 sub-adult bonnet monkeys (Macaca radiata) was exposed to 0.3 ppm ozone (O3) and another group of 7 monkeys to 0.15 ppm O3 for 8 h/day for 90 days. A third group of 4 monkeys was exposed to 0.15 ppm O3 for 8 h/day for 21 days. The control group consisted of 7 monkeys which breathed filtered air for 90 days. Levels of linoleic and arachidonic acids in the total lipids from lung lavage increased about 2-fold in those exposed to O3 as compared to the levels in the controls. Furthermore, the relative level of cholesterol ester (CE) decreased and phosphatidylcholine (PC) increased markedly with chronic exposure of animals to O3. Enhanced polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) composition in lung lavage and changes in the levels of CE and PC may be related to animals' adaptation to O3-exposure.