Lemos M, Lichtenfels A J, Amaro Júnior E, Macchione M, Martins M A, King M, Böhm G M, Saldiva P H
Laboratório de Poluição Atmosférica Experimental, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Environ Res. 1994 Jul;66(1):87-95. doi: 10.1006/enrs.1994.1046.
In order to assess the adverse effects of urban levels of air pollution, rats were used as biological indicators in a chronic exposure experiment. Animals were housed for 6 months in the center of São Paulo (the largest South American town) and compared to controls kept for the same period in a clean area. Pollution levels were obtained from a state air pollution monitoring station, 200 m distant from exposure location, which provided the levels of CO, SO2, particulates, and ozone. The nasal septum was submitted to quantitative analysis of morphological and histochemical parameters, comprising the measurement of volume of epithelium and lamina propria per unity of surface of basal lamina, the amount of mucus stored in the surface epithelium, the volume densities of neutral and acidic mucus in the lamina propria glands, and the densities of secretory and ciliated cells in the epithelium. The results obtained in the present investigation suggest that chronic exposure to urban levels of air pollution induces secretory hypertrophy, combined with a shift toward acidic mucus secretion and ciliary damage. The results are consistent with the idea that prolonged exposure to low levels of air pollution deteriorates respiratory defenses against infectious agents and may cause an increase in respiratory morbidity and perhaps mortality.
为了评估城市空气污染水平的不良影响，在一项慢性暴露实验中，将大鼠用作生物指标。动物在圣保罗市中心（南美最大的城市）饲养6个月，并与同期在清洁区域饲养的对照组进行比较。污染水平来自距离暴露地点200米的一个国家空气污染监测站，该监测站提供了一氧化碳、二氧化硫、颗粒物和臭氧的水平。对鼻中隔进行形态学和组织化学参数的定量分析，包括测量每单位基底层表面的上皮和固有层体积、表面上皮中储存的粘液量、固有层腺体中中性和酸性粘液的体积密度以及上皮中分泌细胞和纤毛细胞的密度。本研究获得的结果表明，长期暴露于城市空气污染水平会导致分泌性肥大，同时伴有向酸性粘液分泌的转变和纤毛损伤。这些结果与以下观点一致，即长期暴露于低水平空气污染会削弱对传染因子的呼吸道防御能力，并可能导致呼吸道发病率增加，甚至可能导致死亡率上升。
